


A flap of butterfly wings

by KiliDurin



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternative Universe - The twins survive, Bad Puns, Dorks in Love, Eventual Smut, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Gentle Sex, Humor, Jealousy, Light Angst, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mutual Pining, Oral Fixation, Oral Sex, Sexual Humor, Slow Burn, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 05:36:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 88,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4865039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiliDurin/pseuds/KiliDurin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a modified timeline where the prank on Hannah takes place during their last year in highschool, Chris is awakened by Beth's actions in the kitchen and moves to go to bed just as Hannah is making her escape downstairs, resulting in a head wound for Chris and a distraction that unbeknownst to either of them is just what it takes to save the lives of Beth and Hannah.</p><p>So it's only Josh's duty to look after Chris while he heals, right?</p><p>It's not like he was crushing on his childhood friend or anything.</p><p>This is a story about slow building romance, sassy characters, bad puns and supporting sisters who still by some miracle have not personally mauled their older brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I wrote together with Haikari (haikari.tumblr.com)
> 
> Until Dawn has a lot of angst and pain going on, so we decided to take the fluffy way of writing things (because Josh and Chris deserve a happy ending damnit!)
> 
> I'm hoping you'll have as much fun reading this as we had writing it~

At first, she had been confused. Who wouldn't be after finding several people hiding in the room she had initially believed to only hold herself and her long time crush. Then the shame and hurt hit, her face contorting as she felt the prickling of tears well in her eyes. Finger's clasped to her still partially opened blouse, Hannah Washington fled from the room just as her best friend entered. 

With the intense waves of emotion flooding her mind and her head bowed to hide from the shame of it all, the young woman hadn't noticed the drunken blond haired man until it was too late and the pair were suddenly tumbling down the stairs together in a whirl of limbs. 

For a single moment, the thoughts of her friends betrayal were gone, replaced with fear and pain as her body landed first atop that of the unfortunate individual she had run into and then the hard ground of her parents lodge. From beside her, she had heard a voice cry out in pain and it only took her a moment to roll onto her side and then onto her knees.

"Oh my god, Chris! Are you okay?!" 

The answer was obviously no. Her brother's best friend had taken the blunt of their fall after all. Ignoring the fact that her blouse was still slightly open, or the sound of footsteps quickly approaching from upstairs, the young woman's attention was solely directed on the injured man and the bleeding gash that he had received during their fall down the stairs. "Oh god, you're bleeding! I'm so, so sorry!"

Deep down, she knew the wound wasn't fatal, but it didn't help ease the shock of having injured her friend. Her breathing was slightly strained as she looked back around the lodge, trying to locate the medical supple box that her parents kept around, only to realize it was stashed away in the kitchen. "Hold on. Don't move okay? I'm... I'm going to get the first aid." Hoping the words were assuring enough, the young woman drew herself to her feet just as the others had arrived at the top of the stairs to look on at the scene.

Not giving any of them a passing glance, she fled quickly to the kitchen, ignoring her drunken brother passed out at the counter for the time being as she shifted through the cupboards for the medical box. "Beth! Where did mom and dad stash the medical supplies?!"

"Check the lower left cabinet!" Beth called back, hurrying down the steps and came to a halt beside the blonde man. She knelt beside him quickly, tilting his face towards the light, examining the wound much to Chris' displeasure as he hissed and tried to pull himself away from the touch.

The blood under her fingers was warm and Chris himself swayed a bit and she was not sure if it was because of the hit, alcohol or a mix of both. But she knew a bleeding wound was always serious, especially since Chris was bleeding from his head.

"I'm not in the mood to handle any of you guys now." She snapped as soon as she noticed Jessica step closer from the corner of her eye. "All of you, return to your rooms-- we'll talk about your idiotic prank in the morning."

***

Back in the kitchen, Josh wasn't exactly sure what had woken him up. The massive crashing sound, his sister's screaming, or the sound of the pots and pans in the cupboards as Hannah searched through them. Whatever it was, it did nothing for the headache that was steadily feeling more and more like a jackhammer to the skull with every passing second. 

For a moment, he considered ignoring everything and going back to sleep, but after what felt like an eternity he came to realization that such a thing was impossible. Lifting his head from the counter, his gaze fell upon the older of his two siblings and the source of the racket in the kitchen.

'Ey...what'cha lookin'...for?" He asked in what he thought to be a cohesive sentence but came out more like a garbled bit of nonsense, most likely due to the fact his tongue felt like a wad of cotton in his mouth. From where she was shifting through the cabinet Hannah turned towards him, and the look she gave him, filled with such fear and panic, was enough to knock his blood alcohol level down a good couple of notches. Her explanation of the situation was quick, and all he really got from it was that Chris and Hannah had tumbled down the steps.

Pulling himself from his seat, the young man's body wobbled as he made his way over to his sibling, squatting down and helping her sort through the cabinets the best way he knew how. By dumping everything onto the floor one big pile. He had no idea where the medical kit she was looking for was, but statistically, if he kept emptying the drawers they were bound to find it eventually. 

He found out exactly where it was when Hannah finally grabbed hold of the medical kit, the sole content of the very drawer that Beth had said to check. Fumbling back onto his still very drunken ass as his sister suddenly stood up, he couldn't help but stare in a somewhat confused manner in the direction she left. 

It took him a long moment before he was able to follow after her, and by then Hannah had plopped herself down next to Beth and Chris, her fingers sorting through the medical kit for bandages and a manual on how to deal with concussions. 

Standing at the entrance way, he had a pretty good view of everything. Despite Beth's warnings, it was fairly obvious a few concerned parties had not yet left for their rooms. 

Namely Ashley and Sam. 

It only took him a moment to realize why, his eyes going wide as he took in the sight of his best friend and the blood that was staining his blonde faux hawk a dark reddish brown. He had expected an injury, but not one that left the other male sprawled out on the floor like that. 

His body moved on instinct, dropping down beside his two sisters despite the fact he really had no business being there. Still, the concern in his gaze was enough to make it clear that the oldest of the Washington children wasn't about to move anytime soon.

"Damnit Cochise. What did I tell you about taking a tumble with one of my sisters?" 

Despite the look he received from Hannah he only offered a small drunken grin, continuing on. "I warned you, bro." 

Shaking his head, the tanned man immediately regretted the action, as it made the world around him spin just a bit quicker then he was able to tolerate. One hand moved to his own head, hoping the spinning would alleviate if he held it still, while the other moved to pat his friends chest in what his drunken mind hoped would be a reassuring gesture. 

"Don't worry though man. I forgive you."

"Honestly." Beth rolled her eyes at her brother's words, though a part of her should not be surprised. Sarcasm and bad puns had seemed to be Josh's way to cope through situations he was not sure how to handle. Or then it was just her brother being a complete idiot which would not surprise her.

Still, it was worth the pun to see the first smile flicker on Chris' lips, his eyelids fluttering open as he stared up at Josh with what had to be amusement and drunken adoration.

"Technically she came onto me, man. While I'm drunk no less." Chris replied voice thick with alcohol, occasional wince breaking the silence as the wound on his head was cleaned and inspected.

"Scandalous! I can see it in the tabloids now. One-hundred and ten pound girl knocks drunken virgin off his feet! More on page twelve!" Moving the hand on his friends chest into the air in a shockingly spot on resemblance of one of the internet memes his friend was so fond of, he stared out into the empty foyer with a very disbelievingly serious expression upon his face before his brown eyes darted back to his friend, a grin forming on his lips. 

"Josh, shut up already and make yourself useful. Hold up his head so we can bandage it. Either that or get out of the way." Hannah's patience for her brother's antics seemed to have worn thin a lot quicker then that of her sibling. Not that anyone could really blame her considering the night she had been through. The look she gave offered not much room for discussion.

Not wanting to leave his best bro's side in his time of need Josh had no choice but to obey. With a shocking amount of care for a man who still harbored enough booze in him to fail a Breathalyzer test, the tanned skinned youth's fingers slipped underneath his best friends head, searching with now slightly less mirthful eyes for any signs of discomfort when he moved the other male. 

In truth, deep down inside of him, buried under the grin and playful twinkling eyes, he was terrified. What if the head wound was a lot worse then it seemed? What if Chris fell asleep that night and didn't wake up in the morning? Panic hit him like a brick as that thought crossed his mind and he had to use every ounce of willpower he had not to make that fact show. "...it'll be alright." Was the whisper he said out loud, barely audible to even his own ears let alone the other three.

"We can't let him sleep." Beth sighed wiping her hands on a wet cloth. "The risk of concussion is too big. But he's had so much alcohol that keeping him awake might be impossible, so we need to keep an eye on him. Set up turns who wakes him up every hour to check he's alright and there's no complications."

"Should I take him back down the mountain?" The question was blurted out before Josh even really knew he was saying it, his dark eyes blinking as he realized his own words. Even in his own alcohol impaired state he knew that booze and concussions did not go well together. Beth's words had all but cemented the initial panic in the man's body and while he did well to hide it he could feel his fingers trembling as he allowed his friends head to rest upon his thigh once his sisters had finished bandaging him up. 

Sadly, he knew that even if they did get Chris down the mountain they were still a good hour away from the nearest hospital. It was times like these that Josh wished that his parents had purchased that island in the Caribbean's. At least that had cell service. 

But no, they had to buy a mountain.

As if reading his mind, Hannah shook her head, biting at her bottom lip. "No. It's too dangerous to move him that much. Like Beth said, we should take turns watching over him. Wouldn't hurt to get some food in him too. At least that's what the pamphlet said. It might also help with the whole being drunk thing." The young woman's eyes shot accusingly towards Josh at this, knowing her brother probably had a large part to play in Chris's current intoxication.

His lips curled up in a grin in response, though there was no mirth behind it. While he hadn't forced his friend to drink, he certainly hadn't made any effort to tell him to stop either. That was usually one of the girls jobs, or Matt's if the darker skinned youth was feeling charitable. 

Maybe Mike's. 

Either way, Josh had never been the type to think about what came later when he had a bottle of whiskey to concern himself with in the present. 

Unaware of it, the tanned youth's fingers had moved softly run through the hairs at the base of his friends neck, soothing rubbing circles into the flesh there as he spoke to his siblings. Perhaps it was just the 'older brother' instinct kicking in, but as he turned his face back down towards the blond he felt a pang of protectiveness as he watched him. Or maybe he was just really, really drunk. 

"...so really, the only question now is who is taking what shift." Hannah's words shocked him out of his thoughts, Josh's eyes darting towards his siblings.

"Hey, as much you know I LOVE watching people sleep I'm probably more drunk then he is. Give me the late shift and I'll be golden though." Another grin, this time accompanied by a wink down at his best bro. Chancing a glance upwards, Josh tried to see if Sam and Ashley were still lingering at the top of the stairs, an idea forming in his head. While it may have only been a budding interest, the man had noticed the way his best friend and the dark haired girl had started to grow closer. Perhaps, if Josh pushed them in the right direction, this head injury thing would be just the right ticket to land his best friend in the bone-zone.

"I'm sure Ashley would be more then happy to help out in my stead though."

Ashley seemed visibly startled as she realized she was being addressed at, fingers unwinding their death grip of her sleeve as she nodded. "I... yeah, I can take one shift." She replied quietly, not taking her gaze away from Chris' motionless form. 

"I'm sure Sam could take one shift as well." Beth spoke shattering the long silence that had followed Ashley's words, sharing a look with her sister. "You and me have both one, and Josh has the last one. Which means that you--" She poked her finger against Josh's shoulder. "--should go get some rest so you are useful later." 

Beth straightened up from the floor, leaving the med kit there for the time being and looked around the lodge instead. 

"Depending on Chris' situation and how he feels tomorrow, we'll decide what to do in the morning." Meaning whether they would remain in the lodge or call a helicopter to take Chris to the hospital. 

Shaking his head as THAT thought reared its head again, the dark haired male shuffled a bit underneath his friend. Resisting the initial urge to flick the other on the forehead, he instead leaned over so that his face was parallel with Chris', careful not to be leaning in TOO close. He didn't want to give the wrong impression.

'No homo.' A voice in his head said, the tone a bit too sarcastic to Josh's liking. 

"Hey. Think you can keep from passing out on us long enough to make it to the couch?" He asked, most of the mirth replaced with tinting of concern as he watched Chris's face. 

From the corner of his eye he noticed Hannah moving to set up the couch for Chris, pushing aside any unnecessary clutter. The less work they would have to do while moving him the better after all. "See look! Hannah's setting it up all nice and pretty for you. Wish she would make my bed like that..."

"Make your own bed Josh, you aren't five!" Hannah's voice called from beside the couch, her eyes rolling at her sibling. 

A tiny smile curled on Chris' lips at the sound of the siblings bickering, and he allowed the familiarity of it calm him down. A hand rose slowly, pressing against the bandages as if to test that they would truly hold his head together before he hoisted himself up into a sitting position carefully. His head spun immediately, stomach lurching as if he needed to throw up but luckily he managed to calm himself down with couple of deep breaths. 

Beth glanced at him worriedly, lower lip drawn between her teeth before she shook her head. "I think he needs support to get to the couch, he just went really freaking pale. We don't want to risk him falling again."

Josh didn't need to be told twice.

In fact, he didn't even need to be told once. 

The moment that Chris had sat up he had seen the way the other man had grimaced and the way his already pale skin turned even paler. "Jesus Cochise, so pale you're making the marshmallows jealous." It was a weak and pathetic way of easing the mood and even Josh couldn't help but cringe slightly at how horrible it had been. Instead of trying further he let it slide, centering on the task of helping to support his friend.

It probably wasn't the best of ideas, having a drunken man help an injured drunken man anywhere, but Josh had never let something like stupidity stop him before. Moving slowly, he carefully slung the blond hair man's arm around his shoulder, moving to grab his wrist while his other hand wrapped around his friends body to get the best grip on his waist as he could. Shuffling just a bit so that Chris' head was resting against his shoulder in the least painful way possible, the man looked up to give Beth a small nod of warning.

"Alright, up we go." It was a lot harder then Josh had originally expected it to be. His own legs felt like jelly due to the booze in his system and his own head spun in unpleasant circles. Not only that but the leg that Chris' head had been resting on earlier had fallen asleep, sending sharp pins and needles through the limb as it tried to correct the blood flow. Grimacing, as well as wobbling a bit from the effort to stand without use of his hands and severely unbalanced, the youth was relieved when he felt someone's hand on his back, steadying him and Chris.

"You could have asked us to help." Sam reprimanded softly, her lips pressed into that smile that was just so distinctly Sam. After the initial discussion, she must have moved downstairs from her original spot, a fact that he was thankful for as she slowly moved to take Chris' other side.

From the couch, Josh could see Hannah amassing a makeshift bed for the injured blond, her attention more on her task then them for the time being. From beside him, he could make out the glimmer of concern Sam seemed to have lingering in her eyes at the sight of his sister, and mentally he told himself to ask about that later, once he was sure Chris was safe and well.

"Beth, mind leading the way for us?" The smile he gave was the weakest one yet, tiredness hitting him like a wave of bricks with each moment he stood there. As much as he loved his best friend, he was heavy as fuck with all those layers of his. The late night hot pockets certainly didn't make this easier, though Josh had no business complaining about that when he was equally as guilty. 

The only response they could get from the blond was a weak murmur, the other obviously more asleep than awake at the moment. "He's out like a light." Beth sighed shaking her head, fingers gripping a hold of Josh's other arm tugging ever so slightly to guide them through the room towards the couch.

The fact that Chris was already out cold worried her greatly, yet she did her best to hide it. Josh was panicky enough as it was, and she did not need his idiotic brother getting hurt too because he's caring after Chris. 

Hannah had been quick to move, allowing Beth to take her spot as she moved around the couch and out of the immediate way, though she was also on standby in case something went wrong. It was times like this that Josh felt the most proud of his sisters.

The task of lowering Chris down was harder then it initially appeared. Due to the backing of the couch they were unable to take opposite sides and lower him down evenly. Hannah did her best, but in the end there was still a bit of inevitable fumbling. By the time they had him laying, head resting on a pillow that Hannah had procured from one of the downstairs closets, Josh was completely and utterly exhausted, physically and emotionally. 

"...Hey, Chris." Leaning down, his voice was soft, audible only to himself and his best friend of, well, it might as well been forever. His dark eyes watched the other male, taking in the paleness of Chris' features with a growing sense of guilt. His fingers moved to softly brush the uninjured part of his friends head, his gaze more serious then it had been all night. "Don't die on me okay?" For a moment, he seemed as if he was going to say something, before ultimately the seriousness died and was replaced with another of his grins. "I've got Ashley agreeing to look over you. Don't mess this one up, bro. The pity card is strong. Play your cards right the next couple of days and you'll be in the Bone-Zone before you know it."

There seemed to be a tenseness that lingered for a moment, the unsaid worry being exchanged by all of them filling the air heavily. It was Sam who broke it, a hand coming to rest on her best friends shoulder. There was still comforting to be done after all. With Chris' injury not there to immediately distract her Hannah's mind would inevitably jump towards what had happened with Mike and the others. Her gaze met her best friends and the two girls came to a silent agreement, leaving together with a wave goodbye, and a kiss to Josh's cheek and a squeeze to his shoulder respectively as they passed him. 

Josh seemed to linger, his gaze alternating between his sisters, Sam and then to Chris. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, only to shut it immediately when he realized there was no point. Beth and Hannah knew his bullshit better then anybody. Had it been Hannah, perhaps he would have been able to appeal to her romantic side to allow him to crash on the other part of the couch instead of heading back to his room, but Beth wouldn't have it. 

Standing slowly, he rubbed the back of his head, letting out a soft, almost inaudible sigh. "If there is any trouble... any at all... wake me up okay? And don't spend the whole night up worrying. That's my job." The smile he gave the youngest of his siblings was gentle and affectionate. A hand reached out to ruffle Beth's head, messing up the dark hair that lie under her white beanie. "Goodnight."

The walk upstairs was an unsteady one, but it wasn't the first time Josh had done it nor would it be the last. Thankfully, he room was the closest, and he reached it without any complications, closing the door behind him with a soft thud he allowed himself to take it in. The room itself was dark, and cold due to one of the windows being cracked open in an attempt to air it out earlier that he had forgotten about, and his bags still lay unopened at the foot of his bed. 

Frowning and letting out a small shiver, he moved forward, fingers resting upon the wooden framing of the window only to tense when he thought he caught a glimpse of something in the forest. When he blinked again however, it was gone, and he decided it would be best not to dwell too hard on it. Closing the window and then the drapes, the youth's gaze turned towards the bed, weariness hitting him once more as he moved towards it like a zombie from the movie that had been playing on television a few days earlier. He didn't bother to remove his clothing, instead flopping face down upon the pillow, barely managing to push his shoes off with his feet before turning towards the night stand. 

The last image he saw before clonking out was the signature orange and white bottle of his medication, already prepared for the next morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite the fact that he had passed out into a rather heavy sleep, it had been shockingly easy for Ashley to wake him, Josh's eyes opening only a couple of seconds after her initially shake. Shifting into a sitting position, the high schooler mirrored the yawn that his female friend had just released before cringing as the inevitable hangover from his drinking hit him like a blow of rocks to his skull.

His tongue felt dry and his throat hurt, but despite this he cracked a grin up at the tired girl, glad to hear his best bro was doing well according to her. "Gotcha. Mind looking after him for just one second more while I go splash some water on my face?" He didn't wait for a reply, heading into the small en-suite bathroom, shutting the door and as quickly as possible taking care of his business before popping back out, looking a bit more awake. 

In his hand was a bottle of painkiller, not for Chris but for himself, though assuming it was alright he would probably hand one over to his friend if necessary. He would take them, alongside his normal medication, once he was confident that everyone else had fallen asleep. 

Emerging from the bedroom, he offered Ashley, who had moved to watch Chris from over the railing, a small smile. His hands moved in a shooing gesture, which received a weak smile from her before she retreated to her bedroom for what was left of the night. 

Josh didn't take long descending the stairs, skipping them three at a time in a well practiced race that he had mastered after all those years spent at the lodge with his family. A quick detour to the kitchen to procure a pair of glasses filled with water and he was set, lowering himself down on the couch with as much grace as he was able to muster. 

Setting the glasses down at their feet along with the painkillers and his own medication, his hand moved to gently rest upon his friend's shoulder. The pamphlet that Hannah had left detailing how to handle concussions was a thoughtful gesture on his sister's part and he took a brief moment to skim it through, noting that it was indeed okay for painkillers to be administered. He glanced at the blond, the hand on Chris' shoulder shaking his friend ever so slightly. 

"You awake there Cochise?" 

"I am now, when you bounce down the stairs like a 300-pound bear." Chris replied voice thick with sleep, rough from disuse as he turned carefully and gave his friend a small smile. His head was still pounding, especially from where his skull had been cracked open but he felt less nauseated even if moving around was still a bit too much for him. 

"...You look like shite." He added barely containing his laugh, wheezing out a tiny noise instead but it was obvious from the wide smile just how hilarious he thought Josh to be at the moment.

The grin that filled Josh's face was the first sincere one he had given since the incident had happened earlier that night. The relief that filled his eyes over the fact that Chris was able to joke around with him like this was hard to hide, not that he would have anyway. Instead he merely let out a soft laugh and rolled his eyes at the 'insult'.

"And YOU look like a man who just spent an hour being doted on by a fine little lady." 

Ignoring any further commentary on his own appearance he decide to change the subject for a bit as he reached down to collect the bottle of painkillers. Plopping four into one hand, he debated the option of plopping two of them into his friends mouth directly before ultimately deciding against it and instead dropping them onto Chris' chest. 

"So, did you pussyfoot around or did you finally take courage by the balls?" Wiggling his eyebrows, he offered the other male one of the glasses of water before patiently waiting for the other to spill tonight's events.

"I dunno man." Chris chuckled lifting a hand, pressing it against his head. "I don't think it's smart to talk up a girl while you're suffering from a concussion." Chris muttered, avoiding Josh's eyes.

The groan that escaped Josh's lips was long and overly dramatic, his face filled with exasperation. "You weren't supposed to talk her up! You were supposed to play the pity card! Bumble and blurt out stupid shit like 'Oh your eyes are so blue' or 'your nose is so cute' and 'I'd totally date you'. You are absolutely hopeless." Shaking his head, Josh let out a small sigh. 

In a gesture that would make even the most hardcore drug users proud he dumped the two painkillers he had saved for himself down his throat dry, the only sign of discomfort coming from a small grimace as they reached the center of his throat before falling the rest of the way down.

"What am I going to do with you?" His words were filled with their usual fondness, the teasing tone still lingering even as he leaned down to pick up the orange and white medicine bottle. Chris was one of the few people who were aware of Josh's need for medication outside of the family and probably the only one he was comfortable with seeing him take them. Still, it always put him on edge when he did, a nagging in his brain always questioning how it made him appear in his best friends eyes. 

But as always, Chris made no visible sign that he saw Josh taking the medication, instead opting to look at the other teasingly. "Keep me by your side forever?" He responded to the other's question, tilting his head back with a teasing smile. "God knows you'd crash and burn without me."

Twisting the childproof cap off, Josh was just tilting the medication down when Chris' words hit him, and before he knew it the shock of it had him dropping nearly half the bottle onto his lap. 

"Shit! Damnit Cochise! Now isn't the time for your homo-erotic come ons! It's Ashley you're trying to get into the Bone-Zone, not me!" 

His cheeks felt warm, no doubt from the soft flush that tinted them. At that moment, Josh had never been so glad for the darkness of the lodge. Still, he kept a smile on his face, returning the teasing with some of his own as he tried to fix the blunder that his friends words had caused. The pills were thankfully brightly colored enough for him to be able to pick them out and eventually, after a brief pat-down of the couch and the floor, he was confident that everything was back in the container save for the dosage he was to take now, which was swallowed as quickly as humanly possible before the bottle was capped and shoved into his pants pocket.

Chris' words, while innocent, had not done anything to alleviate the now very prominent voices in his head screaming at him to take action. Had he not been entirely certain that they were the voices that any hormonal teenager would hear when in the presence of a person they were interested in he would have thought to contact his doctor, but no. They were the same kind of voices he got in fifth grade, when he sat next to Carly Samson, with her cute freckles and curly ringlets. 

Man, he had it hard for her for months.

Shame she moved away to Florida later that year. Maybe if she hadn't moved, his eyes wouldn't have ended up falling onto his best friend.

"Does that mean you don't want to remain by my side?" Chris asked breaking the silence as he sniffled dramatically, placing a hand above his chest. "You wound me, bro. I thought we had something special." Despite the pounding in his head Chris found strength to push himself on his elbows, giving Josh the most innocent look he could muster, pouting his lips a bit.

It took all of Josh's effort not to push the pillow that Chris' head had been resting on into his face. Instead he merely rolled his eyes and let out a dramatic sigh yet again. "Well, if you're SO insistent I hold your hand for the rest of your life I suppose I don't have anything else going on. I do draw the line at the bathroom, though. Chrissy has to handle his tinkie winkies all on his own." Laughter bubbled forth the moment the words left his mouth, the sheer silliness of the situation more then enough to put him at ease.

Allowing the laughter to subside, the darker haired man fell into a relaxed state, his lips turning from his usual wide grin to a much softer, simpler smile. He was glad that they were able to turn what could have been a rather unpleasant moment into something stupid and normal. While at times he was admittedly annoyed with just how oblivious his best friend could be, there were other moments, like this one, where he was glad that he didn't pick up on things as quickly as Sam or Beth did. 

The sun was just beginning to rise in the horizon, the dawn's light hitting his face with splotches of bright pinkish red through the windows that lined the lodge. It was a surreal moment and had Chris been feeling better he would have insisted they go outside. From the corner of his eye he watched as the sun's light hit his friend, no doubt not helping him in regards to the headache he was probably sporting.

"Want me to close the windows upstairs?" He asked softly, his head gesturing towards the windows in question, which unlike the ones downstairs had been left with their shutters closed.

"Don't." Chris shook his head in denial, face turned towards the golden light. While the brightness of it made his eyes ache, he could not help but melt at the warmth the early sun bathed him in. After a night of confusion and darkness he could not escape, it was definitely a welcomed change.

His eyes closed, a content, soft smile spreading on his lips as he rested his head against the backrest of the couch.

It was moment's like this that Josh felt like all the problems he had faced in his life were worth it. The peace of the early morning accompanied by the pleasant atmosphere was enough to make him temporarily forget about the depression that plagued his mind and body. 

And then there was the way the light seemed to just so perfectly lit up his best friends face. Even with the bandage wrapped around Chris' head, the scene he was looking at was something right out of a picture book. Unable to let the chance slip him by, he reached for his phone, snapping a picture of the scene with a soft click of the phones camera.  
Maybe, if he felt like it, he would set it as his background for a bit. 

As if realizing that his gaze was lingering far too long, he immediately snapped his eyes away, awkwardly reaching for the glass of water at his feet and swallowing it quick, deep gulps. The liquid was cool and felt great on his throat, which was about as dry as the Sahara after a massive drought. Be it from the booze, the medication or something else entirely he didn't know. 

That's how Beth found them several minutes later, with Chris out of this world and Josh looking a tad too flustered to be normal. 

"Morning." She called walking down the stairs, feeling relief when Chris' eyelids fluttered open and he turned his head a bit. "Good morning." 

"How are you feeling?"

"Better now that Josh helped me with my headache."

"Did he now? Not on the couch, I hope."

"Wha-- he gave me painkillers, Beth!"

The crack on Chris' voice had Beth laughing obviously pleased, especially when she saw how flustered the blond had become. "Just teasing, it's good to see you conscious."

Stowing away his phone as Beth came into view, Josh's lips cracked into a smile, amusement flickering in his eyes as he listened in on the conversation between Chris and Beth. However, he knew better then to think Beth showing up now was something as innocent as her just waking up naturally. It couldn't have been later then seven in the morning, and no teenager in their right mind would be awake right now if they didn't have to be.

Had Beth slept at all last night? Or had she been too worried about Chris? 

In truth, had it not been for the beer and whiskey in his system Josh wouldn't have slept either. 

Setting his glass of water down, the oldest of the Washington children allowed himself a moment to stretch out his limbs, shirt riding high as a portion of his stomach was left open to the world. Had they been younger, Beth would have jumped at the chance to poke him there, but thankfully, or hopefully, she had grown passed that particular habit. 

"If you're awake, I'm going to take this moment to start with breakfast. We've got ten mouths to feed and all of them starving by the time we're all down at the breakfast table."

It was an excuse, but a good one. In truth, Josh didn't know what he would have done if he had been forced to sit there, watching Chris face slowly be lit up by the soft lights of day. 

No. He knew what he would do. Something stupid that would end with things getting really awkward. Sure, Chris wasn't the type to abandon him over something stupid like him being a bit homo for the blond, but it wouldn't exactly make the other all that comfortable either.

"Do you need--"

"No, absolutely not. Don't you even dare to offer help Christopher or I will have you bound down on the couch." Beth threatened placing her hand on her hip in a way that even Chris knew that arguing would be fruitless. Despite their weird relationship and the fact that Beth was younger than him, he had always seen Beth as an older sister in certain situations and this was one of those moments.

"Fine, I'll just bathe here in the sun." He sighed dramatically which in turn prompted a laugh from Beth's lip. 

"Like a freaking Greek God or something. Though God's don't get hurt." She added sitting beside him, starting to undo the bandages with careful fingers so she could inspect the damage underneath while Josh looked at the scene for a moment before smiling and with one last clap on Chris' shoulder, made his way to the kitchen to start the breakfast for the group.

***

In hindsight, maybe it hadn't been such a great idea to dump everything they owned out on the kitchen floor. Pots and pans and all other assortment of kitchen utensils sat innocently upon the ground where they had been abandoned the night before. Unable to help it, a low groan escaped his lips at the sheer amount of cleanup that would be necessary in order to make the area even somewhat presentable. 

From the other room he could make out Chris and Beth's conversation, his lips parting as he let out a soft chuckle. The sound of their voices helped ease the agitation he felt over his stupid mistake, easing him into the act of cleaning everything up, or at least enough of it that nobody would think to question it. 

With the mess taken care of and the things he intended to use quickly rinsed off, he set off towards the task of find what food they had. In truth, he had actually stopped by the lodge a couple days ahead of time to stock the fridge and make sure everything had been in order, yet he couldn't remember what exactly he had shoveled into the fridge.   
His eyes landed on a massive carton of eggs and he knew immediately what he was going to do. Slinking from the kitchen, his head peaked out, eyes locking onto his friend and sibling. "How do you two want your eggs? Scrambled, slightly less scrambled, or scrambled with cheese?" 

"Scrambled." Chris replied immediately, turning to look at his friend with a small smile. 

"With cheese for me." Beth added holding the bandage on her hands, tilting her head a bit. 

"You know--- why don't we change. I'm not taking the risk of you ruining the eggs _again_." Beth stated lowering the bandages on the couch and stood up.

"Josh, get a warm, wet cloth and carefully rub the dried blood away from his skin. Make sure the wound is clean and not infected before you tie it up with a fresh bandage." She instructed brushing past Josh in the kitchen, taking over the breakfast duty.

"You wound me dear sister. Who do you think taught you how to clean up owies, huh? Certainly not mom and dad." Josh's hand reached out to playfully shove the white beanie down over the girls eyes as she passed, his grin downright contagious at this point in time as he gave his best friend a small wink, mouthing the words 'She's hopeless without me!' before disappearing into the downstairs bathroom, emerging half a minute later with a wooden bowl filled with warm water and a clean washcloth sitting inside. 

Had Beth been present in the room at the time she would have recognized the items, which Josh had stowed away in a cabinet years before to care for his siblings injuries when their parents were too busy or were asleep, which had become more and more often as they grew older. 

Finger's worked with deft and deliberate care, working away the dried clumps of blood that lingered unpleasantly on the other man's skin and hair. Every so often Josh would pull the cloth away, examining the slightly cleaner flesh before moving to rinse the blood from the cloth and returning to his work. The wound thankfully seemed to have begun to scab over, no fresh blood trickling out of it even as he very softly worked away at the hair closest to the wound. 

The skin was red however, which was concerning as it meant there might be a beginning of infection there. Josh wouldn't be surprised really. The contents of the medical kit were old after all. Who knew how effective they could be. Thankfully, he had actually packed a replacement, though at the time it had been far too late and he had been far to drunk to remember it. 

"...Jeez. The stairs really did a number on you, huh? Next time you decide to become the heavy weight champ of stair boxing be sure to wear the proper head gear."

Josh offered Chris another of his grins. "Bet you would prefer Ashley doing this, huh? Such a shame you get stuck with my ugly mug."

"I don't know, man." Chris murmured hissing at the touch of the cloth on his head. 

"Trust you to take better care of me than Ash." He slurred out eyes closing, head tilting with the gentle movements. Josh had remained by his side way longer than Ashely had, so if there was someone he trusted to look after him, it would be the brunette beside him.

Chris' words brought a soft smile to his lips, a chuckle escaping him as he shook his head. "Seriously Christopher, why can't you be this smooth with the ladies? Unless it's my panties you want on the floor, in which case you're doing a pretty good job at it." 

Deep down, he couldn't help the small burst of joy that came from the knowledge that Chris would choose him over Ashley over something as important as looking after him.   
Gently brushing aside a few blond strands of hair, the darker skinned of the two leaned forward, pressing his lips softly against the fair skin of his companion. He lingered there for a moment, feeling the skin and trying to remember if it was warmer then the other male's average temperature. It was hard to tell with Chris, considering the absurd amount of layers he wore all the time making his skin naturally a bit on the warm side. 

The sudden burst of warmth alerted him to the fact his friend was blushing even before he realized what was going on. For a second, the world seemed to halt as his mind caught up with what he had just done. Still, Josh prided himself on his acting ability and as he pulled back just a bit did his best to keep his face from giving away just how nervous he had become. His eyes twinkled brightly as he smiled at the blushing man, holding back a laugh at his friends innocent reaction.

Still, he couldn't help but linger just a bit. He was close enough to feel the warm puffs of air that came from Chris' lips every time he exhaled. Without Chris' glasses, he had a good opportunity to closely examine the others eyes without having to worry too much. A shame that the other man kept them shut. 

A shame he would probably not get another chance like this.

"Kind of hard to check for a fever when you light up like Rudolph's nose at a simple kiss cherry boy." Wiggling his eyes brows, he let out another laugh, knowing that if he let this moment linger on any longer there would questions that he didn't really want to answer. 

"Says the man who earlier admittted wearing panties, since I have a chance on wooing them off of you." Chris pointed out his voice a soft murmur, aware just how fast his heart was beating at he moment. 

"He also occasionally borrows our stilettos if the mood strikes." 

The sound of Hannah's voice was enough to finally pull Josh away from the other man, a soft flush tinting his own cheeks that he hoped went unnoticed by the wounded male. "How else were we supposed to be Charlie's Angels?" Turning to face Chris, he made an exasperated expression as his sister came to join them at the couch. "Seriously, I borrow her fancy shoes one time and she never let's me hear the end of it."

"They were three hundred dollars and you broke them trying to do a cartwheel into our pool while heavily intoxicated on stolen wine. Of course I'd be pissed." Raising an eyebrow as she drew closer, the dark haired woman made a point of taking in the closeness of the two men, her lip curling up slightly. "What were you two doing?" 

"Playing doctor. Seems like Christopher here has a bad case of Super Virginititus. Things are looking pretty grim." 

"If that's the case, are you going to cure him from it personally?" Beth called from the kitchen, barely hidden amusement coloring her tone which in turn had Chris chuckling embarrassed, hand pressing against his head carefully. It was still spinning, but not because of the wound, no.

There had been something there.

Something he would have loved to explore further, and as much as he loved Hannah, he kind of hated her for ruining whatever moment they had been going through. It was a thought he tried to push away; Josh was as straight as uncooked spaghetti, and it pained him to realise that what he had felt with Ash before, he felt with Josh now.

Because obviously his life wasn't hard enough.

"So tell me _doctor_ , how does it look like?" Chris asked breaking from the thoughts, yet couldn't help but tease Josh back a bit. "Are you going to make me swallow your medicine?"

"Let's leave that as a last resort, ey? After all, my own personal brand of medicine can be rather bitter. You'll need more then just one spoonful of sugar to help it go down." Wiggling his eyebrows playfully at Chris, he returned the teasing words with his own. 

Ideas sprouted off in his head at the words. A scene playing out of himself and Chris, sprawled out on Josh's bedroom floor, decked out in their prom clothing and still pumped from the party. 

Chris having failed utterly and completely at seducing Ashley, bemoaning the fact that he would spend the rest of his life a virgin, only for Josh to move in. 'Guess we don't have a choice do we? I can't just let my best friend go the rest of his life as a virginal nerd.' He'd say, partially drunk on spiked punch, before crawling forward to slip off the blonde's glasses, his arms pressed against either side of the now flustered but receptive man, their faces leaning ever closer...

Fuck. Not a good time to be doing this. 

Shifting a bit to hide the fact Mini Josh had started to awaken, the brunette blinked a few times to clear his mind, unaware of the fact he had gone silent for a good moment and was now being stared at by a curious and bemused Hannah. "Ah right sorry! Just... the pills haven't kicked in yet, you know?" It probably wasn't wise to blame his illness, but it was better then letting them know the truth about what he had been thinking about.

It was around that time that he noticed Chris had taken to holding his head and the man's attention quickly snapped towards that instead of his personal fantasies. "You okay there man?" Concern quickly spread across his feature, moving forward once more, hand upon his friend's shoulder to keep him steady should the world start spinning around him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Chris replied automatically, which luckily this time was also the truth. Despite the new thoughts that kept running through his head, it did not hurt as much as the night before so with good luck he would spare himself from a trip to the hospital. That would definitely bring the mood down.

"Just feeling a tad sick," He added to which his stomach responded with a loud gurgle, ratting out how hungry he was feeling. 

"Well food's ready soon, so wrap up Chris' head and come here." Beth called peeking from the kitchen.

Not entirely convinced, but willing to let it slide for the time being, the darker skinned of the two lingered there for a moment, hand upon his best friend's shoulder as he watched him before ultimately letting go. "I'm going upstairs for a second. The medical supplies are old as shit and I've brought replacements for them in my bag. Try to keep the chestbusters inside while I'm gone okay, Cochise?" 

Slipping from the couch, Josh offered Hannah a soft smile before he quickly ascended the stairs up to the top floor. From the other rooms he could hear a couple of their friends getting ready for the day, though as he suspected both Sam and Ashley were both conked out. 

Bumping into Mike on his way to his room, he found himself stopped by a hand upon his shoulder.

"Listen man... about the prank on Hannah from last night... we didn't mean any harm. Really." The other male said, a guilty look upon his face that only served to confuse Josh further.

"Huh? What prank?" About to demand more information, Josh remembered his initial reason for coming upstairs. "Hold that thought. I have an injured bro to take care of and I have a feeling the amount of bullshit I'm about to hear is going to take up far too much time." 

The words came out a lot harsher then Josh really expected them to, or Mike for that matter, as the other male had a somewhat surprised look in his eyes. Still, when it came to his siblings they really should have known to expect it. Nobody messed with his sisters. Nobody.

Slipping away to his room, Josh distractedly began to rummage through the bags he had brought with him, ultimately finding several brand new medical supply boxes stashed away under his shoes. Taking only one for the time being, he left the bag open as he quickly made his way out of his room and back downstairs. 

Slipping onto the couch, his mood considerably less pleasant then it had been earlier, he began the process of opening up and sorting through the box for what they needed. "Someone going to explain to me what Mike was talking about?" 

Beth bit her lip at the question, glancing at her sister for comfirmation that it was alright to talk about the whole situation and after receiving it, turned the heat off the stove before joining them in the living room.

"The guys thought it was a _brilliant_ idea to make Hannah believe Mike wanted to meet her alone, leading her on to believe he responded to her feelings." She started, wrapping her arm around Hannah's shoulder both for support and comfort. "And then humiliate her by having everyone else in the room as well, while the whole deal was filmed."

She smiled, but it was a cold smile. "Well, everyone expect Sam. She had tried to warn Hannah about it, but couldn't find her in time."

If Josh had been agitated before he seemed downright furious now. His fingers clenched, knuckles going so white that they rivaled the snow outside. For a moment his gaze turned towards Chris, searching the other male's face for signs that he knew about what was going to happen to his sibling, only to relax just slightly when the blond seemed to be just as surprised and angry about the situation as he was. 

Of course Chris wouldn't betray him like that. The other loved his sisters as if they were his own. They practically were at this point.

"Who took the video?" He asked, taking a couple of deep breaths as he looked at Hannah. The older of his two sisters didn't look particularly happy to be bringing the memory up, and he truly felt horrible for putting her through the questioning, but if he was going to make sure that the other's got their just rewards he needed to know the whole story.

"Matt, he and Ashley hid inside the closet while Emily and Jess hid under the bed. I don't know what he did with the video." She seemed to hesitate for a moment and Josh knew that she was studying his reaction. "Ashley apologized to me last night when we switched shifts. Like really apologized." She added, though she didn't really say whether she forgave the other girl or not. Mainly because she hadn't decided. 

Josh seemed to think for a long moment, his eyes now cast down at the medical kit as he slowly unraveled the medical bandage. The action seemed to calm him some, lost in his own thoughts, before ultimately he turned up to give her a wink. "Well, guess Chris and I are going to have to set up a bit of payback, huh?" 

Turning his gaze towards his best friend, his lips cracked into a grin. "You game for some payback pranking once we get back to class and your head's back where it belongs?"

"Definitely. They will not know what hit them." Chris replied immediately, not even hesitating to jump on the plan with Josh. 

The smile that lit up Josh's face was massive, his eyes filled with mischief and delight over his friends response. "I knew I could count on you, Cochise. You'd never let me down." Laughter bubbled over, the man's mood considerably brighter, head swarming with ideas. It would take a bit of time to set things up, but he was confident that by the end of the month the message would have been sent that nobody messed with Joshua Washington's little sisters.

Hannah let out a soft laugh at her brother's enthusiasm and sister's confidence in the two men. It was obvious that she was touched at how quickly her siblings and Chris came to her defense and had she not spent a good two hours the night before crying into her best friend and sister's shoulder she probably would have shed a tear now. Instead, she chose pull her brother, sister, and Chris into a very loose, stretched out hug, squeezing them softly. "Thanks. You guys are the best. Just... try not to get caught red handed. Okay?"

"Caught? Never." Waving his sisters words off, Josh patted her arm softly before she released them all. "Now both of you get out of here. You're distracting me from my patient."


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you think I need to visit the hospital?" Chris asked filling the silence, glancing up at Josh unsure.

The question seemed to catch Josh by surprise, his mind still centered on his retreating siblings when the words had come out of Chris' mouth. Raising an eyebrow, the teenager seemed to think for a moment before ultimately shaking his head. "As of right now, no. The fact you're able to hold a conversation like this is more then enough to convince me that your head is fine." 

Shifting closer once more, the tanned youth patted his thigh, as if to say that Chris shoulder rest his head there. "There's some inflammation, but you don't have a fever or any puss and the skin around the wound isn't warmer then any of the rest of you, so I don't think you have an infection either." 

His lips curled into another one of those teasing smiles. "Don't worry, Cochise. If you do need to go to hospital I'll let you hold my hand, okay?"

"I will break your hand if you do that." Chris warned finding himself complying the silent order with ease, lowering his head on Josh's lap. There was a brief flash of familiarity from last night, his shoulders relaxing as he gave the other a soft smile. 

"Sam let me hold her hand once during a vaccination. Her hand bruised." Chris explained smiling sheepishly.

"Think nothing of it. For you, my friend, I would suffer even the most painful of injuries." While the words were said with an obvious dramatic flair, there was no denying there was truth to them. Josh had after all, always been the devoted type. Broken bones, or in the case of Ashley a broken heart, meant nothing if it would bring Chris the comfort that he needed to face his fears. 

"Besides, we'd be at the hospital anyway so I'd just get them to look me over after they were finished with you." 

Finger's moved to gently brush aside strands of dark blonde hair, clearing the area around the wound as Josh pulled the antiseptic spray out of the medical kit. Covering a cotton swab with the liquid, he carefully lowered it down, not yet touching skin just yet. "This is going to sting. I'll try to be quick but try and suck it up for now." 

True to his word, he moved as quickly as possible, spreading the antiseptic across the wound in swift but gentle dabs. When finished he even leaned down to softly blow on the area to relieve the immediate stinging. "The worst of it is done. How you holding up there? Not about to pass out on me are you?"

"No, but I might punch you if you even think of making me go through that again." Chris threatened sucking in a deep breath. "Just finish it so we can get some food and have fun today, alright?" 

"Daw, poor baby." Josh cooed, still teasing the other male despite knowing full well that the sensation was indeed rather unpleasant. Still, it needed to be done if they wanted to avoid that trip to the hospital that Chris was so against. Dropping the antiseptic spray back into its case, Josh moved on to the bandage that he had started to unwrap earlier. In hindsight, that hadn't been the smartest move, but at least it wasn't completely unwound.

He was rolling it up a bit more when Ashley and Sam arrived. For an instant he debated calling out to the girl to help, but she was gone before he was given the chance to do so. 

"Sorry, but the most fun you will be having today is sitting on this couch with your head in my lap. No way am I risking you getting hurt." Was the firm response to the earlier statement. Still, he continued on, teasing the other male as was his custom. "Of course, I'm more then happy to let you switch from my lap to Ashley's should you so choose. I'm sure she's a lot softer and more comfortable."

Gently, he lifted the other man's head up, working to wrap the now readied bandage around the injury, occasionally checking to make sure that it was neither too tight or too loose. When he was confident that his best friend was properly bandaged, he used the medical scissors to snip off the excess, patted the medical tape into place and threw his hands up with a cry. "It's ALIVE!!!"

The sound of several pairs of feet heading down the stairs drew his attention, as the rest of their group all arrived, decked out in various stages of winter apparel and guilty expressions. Emily and Jess seemed the least guilt ridden, while Matt sported an almost sheepish look as his eyes landed upon Josh. Mike was in the same state he had been earlier, apologetic and also accepting of the judgment he would be receiving. None of them seemed to say anything however, and Josh didn't bother to say anything either. 

The look he gave them said enough.

After a long moment Josh finally moved to a stand, stretching out his body. "If I find out that you still have that video or posted it to Youtube, I'm going to punch each and every one of you in the face. Girl or not. Also, if any of you give Hannah a hard time your are getting kicked down this mountain faster then you can say 'Look out below.' You understand?"

The group responded immediately with an unanimous yes, and Josh seemed to relax. "Alright. Now get your asses into the kitchen. Grub's on." It was clear that he was expecting each of them to apologize to Hannah, though how they intended to do so was up to them.

Turning his attention back to Chris, he extended his hand towards the other man, fully intending to help him walk to the table.

"You're acting like I'm an invalid." He sighed accepting the hand just to ease the worry Josh was probably feeling, allowing himself to be pulled up slowly. His head spun a bit, but his stomach didn't turn like the last time so he took that as a good sign. "I'm fine, honestly."

"Just humor me for a bit. You're head took a nice beating from the stairs last night. I just want to make sure that your brain hasn't turned to mush." Josh responded as he lifted the other male into a stand, fingers clasped firmly against those of his friend and not pulling away even as he watched Chris for a solid moment. His expression was unreadable, but ultimately he seemed satisfied and convinced that the other man wasn't going to fall the moment he let go.

The sensation of their fingers brushing together was strangely lingering, even as he walked side by side with the other male on their way into the kitchen and dining area. So much that he had to shove his hands into his pockets in order to distract himself from the sensation. He hoped that Chris didn't pick up on the action, or if he did he didn't think anything of it.

The booze bottles from last night still lingered on the counter, but the smell of freshly made eggs drowned out the stench that lingered from them. With a grin on his face, the dark haired youth slid into a seat next to Hannah and Sam, leaving the one next to Ashley and Mike for Chris. "I am so glad I took the time to come up here a couple days early to bring supplies. We could have been stuck eating dry cereal." He said with a tint of his usual playful tone.

"You'd have a fight in your hands then." Beth snorted, keeping an eye on Chris as the blond walked over to the table and took his seat slowly. "It takes more than dry cereals to feed this group." She added scooping down the scrambled eggs on Chris' place, patting his shoulder. "Eat up, and one day you'll grow to be a big boy."

"Which is why I, in my infinite wisdom, went out and purchased all of the lovely food that will be shoveling in our mouth holes today." Was Josh's response, waiting until Beth had shoveled the eggs onto Chris' plate before moving to take it for himself. It was fortunate that the next couple of minutes consisted of Josh shoveling his face with food, or the group probably would have been subjected to a few unnecessary food related puns. 

When everyone had their fill of food, or more specifically when there was no more food to be served, the oldest of the Washington children finally let his hand hit the table, alerting the group that he had something to say to all of them. Taking in the youthful faces of his friends, his eyes twinkled as he looked them all over.

"Sorry to interrupt your merriment my friends, but I got a couple of things we need to discuss before we start playing Bobby Crocket." He could see the group rolling their eyes, more than one of them finding the reference to the old wildness explorer to be rather on the lame side.

"As awesome as it is to think that we have the whole mountain to explore, I'm going to have to ask you guys to stay away from the mines or the Sanitorium. Sure, they sound cool as all fuck, but they're unstable as hell. Last thing we need is someone getting trapped somewhere and our trip being ruined because some asshole thought it would be a fun idea to become a spelunker. The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few."

"Second off, if you're intending to go into the woods, take one of the many, many guns. We're in the mountains and there are probably bears and mountain lions out there who would love the taste of our supple young flesh." The wiggle of his eyebrows was primarily directed at the girls in the group at that one. 

"Also, probably not the best idea to be outside at night. Not only is it cold enough to freeze somebodies nuts off, but this is a mountain. If you can't see the path ahead then you might end up falling down some cliff. Last thing we need is another head injury. I've got my hands full caring for Chris' needy ass as is."

"Aside from that, go wild. Have fun! We're here without parents for the week and I'll be damned if we don't get a chance to party like motherfucking pornstars!"

One by one the people around the table moved on to do whatever the heck they wanted to-- have snowball fights, relax in a bath or go to the movie room to watch movies. Chris pushed himself up as well, feigning exhaustion to the Washington's. "I'm going to head up to catch some more sleep, so I'll see you guys later."

As Chris sat up from the table, Josh immediately followed suit, only to realize that it would have been incredibly weird to insist on watching the other male sleep. "I'll see you up. I've got some stuff to unpack and deal with upstairs anyway."

It wasn't a lie. 

There was a considerable amount of things that Josh simply had not been able to take care of during his first trip up to the lodge earlier that week. Things like restocking non-food based supplies, dumping a few props his parents didn't want kept in the main mansion into the basement, and of course bringing out new bedding and stuff to the guest cabin. He looked forward to that the least, as it generally required him carrying fifty pounds worth of blankets and other shit back and forth between the two buildings. 

But that had been the deal between him and his parents. He handles the resupplying and all that boring, tedious busy work and he and his friends get to use the lodge for a week on unsolicited and uninterrupted debauchery. 

Wrapping an arm around Chris' shoulder, Josh moved to match his steps with his very slightly smaller best friends. "I'm still going to have to check in on you every hour or so, so don't think you're going to get a free pass to sleep the day away." He grinned, nudging his best friend softly in the arm.

Chris sighed, glancing at his friend briefly as Josh helped him up the stairs. He was rather sure he could handle it by himself, but knew that it would be futile to argue about it with Josh.

"Seriously man, I'm fine. I don't want you to have to spend your time watching over me. I want you to go have fun with others." He said once they reached the top of the stairs and he stopped to catch his breath.

The soft frown on Josh's face was the only real indication that he was troubled by Chris' insistence that he go off without him. While it was true that two weren't technically attached at the hip, the idea of having fun while the blond was stuck with a potentially life threatening head wound was more then enough to keep the oldest of the Washington children from going out and building snowmen with their other friends. Not that he would be doing that today anyway.

"Chris, just shut up man. You're overthinking this way too much. A little check up on you every hour or so won't keep me from having fun. Especially when today is designated chore day for me anyway. Seriously, if anything it gives me an excuse to take a break from lugging twenty pounds of shit all over this place." 

It was then a thought hit his brain, his lips curling as he leaned forward a little bit. "I could always you know, alternate with Ashley every other hour. Then you'd get to see her cute little face waking you up instead of mine AND there would be a two hour time span for me to do shit so you won't have to worry about ruining my day."

"Just imagine man. You're laying in bed when she comes in, softly shaking your shoulder. 'Chris? Chris are you awake?'-" The imitation of Ashley's voice was horrible, but still he carried on. "-the you'd reach out, take her arm and pull her into an embrace while pretending to be asleep. Cuddle train central. No girl can resist a guy who is a good cuddle bug. They eat that shit right up."

"Josh, man..." Chris shook his head at the words, trying his best to not cringe visibly. While Ash was a very good friend of his, he could not imagine being in a situation Josh painted them to be. He sighed, rubbing his neck briefly.

"Look, I know you want the best for me... or want me to at least go to the bone-zone, but it won't happen with Ashley." He said looking up at his friend, worrying his lower lip between his teeth briefly.

"I'm kind of over her. There's no crush, there's nothing. Nada. So just... don't push her onto me, alright?"

Chris' words hit him like a blow to the face. Not because of the fact that Chris' interest in Ashley had vanished but because the other male hadn't bothered to say anything to him. A surge of guilt formed like a metal ball in his stomach as he considered the fact that it may have even been his own attempts to get the pair together that had ultimately pushed them apart. If he had known, he would have let the two do their own thing.

Still, he latched onto the fact that Chris didn't deny there was a chance of the other eventually going to the bone-zone with somebody. "Why didn't you tell me? If I had known sooner I would have laid off you man." A curious expression donned the eldest Washington child's face, his head tilting just a bit. "What happened? You were so into her." 

The initial fear and guilt from earlier resurfaced and this time he wasn't able to push it down. "It... wasn't because I kept pushing right? Like you know I only wanted to help...? If I screwed things up I'm super sorry about that and I promise I'll lay off next time around."

"No, god no don't even think that." Chris hurried to assure. "Don't get me wrong, she's great, but... one time I looked at her and felt nothing. I think it was already happening before we even came to this lodge, so don't go blaming yourself, alright? Obviously it was just a moment of crushing and wasn't meant to be."

There was a brief moment of vulnerable uncertainty in Josh's eyes as Chris tried to assure him that it wasn't his fault that his friend no longer held interest in Ashley. While he wasn't entirely convinced and probably wouldn't be no matter what the other male said, he at least seemed placated when Chris went on to explain the situation in a bit more detail. Letting out a soft, slightly troubled sigh, the darker haired male shook his head.

"What am I going to do with you Cochise? Ashley was the first girl in ages you've shown any interest in at all. It's like... I dunno man." There seemed to be a moment where Josh paused, before ultimately letting out a soft cough, his eyes turning away as if he was a bit embarrassed to bring it up. "Am I pushing you in the 'wrong direction' here? Is that it? Because dude if that's the case I'm cool with that! But you gotta tell me or I'm not going to be able to help you."

In truth, it wasn't the question that made Josh nervous. It was the answer itself. If Chris confirmed that Josh was indeed pushing him in the 'wrong direction' then things just got a lot more complicated. He had spent the last few years convincing himself that there was no possible way for him and Chris to ever step out of their bromance niche due to the blond being straight and Josh's own bisexuality not being something he openly admitted to. If Chris did like dudes, then it would be a lot harder to think up excuses for why he couldn't act.

"I think of myself as pansexual." Chris finally admitted, smiling carefully-- as if he was waiting for Josh to judge him in some way. "If the person is the right type for me, then the gender should not matter, you know?"

While he didn't exactly know what pansexual was, he certainly understood what Chris was telling him. Much like Josh, the blonde's willy simply did not differentiate and responded to hotness regardless of the limits of gender boundaries. Which meant that things just got a lot harder.

There was no judgment in Josh's eyes, though he did appear to be troubled, his normal grin replaced with the serious contemplative look that seemed so foreign to his features. Ultimately, after realizing that he was standing there while his friend waited for a response towards his 'coming out', he quickly burst into his playful grin. 

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Doesn't matter what gender they are so long as they are a hotty with a body. Am I right?" Nudging his friends arm and giving him a wink, the darker haired of the two hoped that his friend would get the picture. "Pansexual is a new one though. I'll remember that for the next family barbecue." 

"But hey, it opens up the field for tons of new possibilities. Do you like them all like Ash or do your type preferences sway a bit?"

A bit taken back by his friend's sudden coming out, Chris had to progress the information for while before he smiled in return. "They sway. I mean when it comes to guys, it's not the blond, lithe types who catch my attention the most." Chris admitted shrugging his shoulders.

"That doesn't really give me much to work on." Josh admitted with a playful smile, once more nudging his friends shoulder. "Like, do you want a guy like Matt? Whose ripped from spending all day running around slamming himself into other dudes on the football field? Or guys like Mike? A guy more like yourself? Give me something to go on here because man we have lot of ground to cover." 

"You know what man. When we get back to civilization you and I are going to sit down at the mall and go people watching. I've been taking up too much of your precious nap time as is." While it was true that Josh really was curious, there was no denying that Chris' potential answer was terrifying. Everything about this new revelation was terrifying actually, and suddenly the events from earlier took on a thousand new meanings. 

Under the watchful eye of his friend Chris crashed into Josh's bed out of habit, curling himself with the pillows sighing contently, eyelids already dropping. "Mh... see you in a hour then."

Josh lingered there, watching over his best friend until he was sure that Chris wouldn't be disturbed by his movements. Everything about him screamed to bolt downstairs and find Beth and Hannah, but he didn't want to risk Chris not being fully asleep and watching him dash off like that. Who knew what kind of conclusions the other would get in his oblivious and slightly damaged skull. 

Instead he centered on the task of sorting through the five or so bags that he had been forced to bring to the lodge. The first was his personal bag, the second two were filled with prop stuff, the fourth with spare bedding and supplies for the guest cabin, and the fifth being random supplies and whatever he or the twins couldn't shove into their personal bags. 

Deciding to get the prop stuff done first he grabbed hold of the handles, his eyes turning back towards the sleeping blond for just a moment before ultimately exiting the room and heading downstairs. The trip to the basement was uneventful, though he did note that he would have to replace a couple of light bulbs later. The props themselves were mostly clothing or masks, ranging from a monks robe to a strange skull like mask that had been the prototype for the villain of a horror film his father had worked on a year ago.

He didn't think twice about any of them as he set them down among the other old stuff. 

Bags now empty, he returned back up to the main floor, leaving the bags at the steps to the basement as he moved to see if the twins were still lingering around the kitchen. "Hannah? Beth?" He called, albeit weakly, not wanting to appear too demanding despite the desperate need to speak to them.

"That sounds troublesome." Beth commented placing the last plate up to dry before wiping her hands on the towel and bumped her hip against her sister lightly. "Our brother needs us, wake up." 

She laughed at Hannah's obviously sleepy and confused expression, nodding her head towards the living room before following the sound of Josh's voice. "Josh, you alright?" 

It was not another panic attack, that she was sure of. Josh did not look like he was having an episode, but there was something clearly troubling him. "Is this the kind of talk we're going to need privacy for?"

"I'm fine. Really. It's just..." He seemed to pause for a bit, rubbing the back of his sheepishly before gesturing downstairs. "It's probably something best discussed in private, yeah."

He didn't wait for either of them to respond. He knew his sisters well enough to know that they would follow him downstairs, and the sound of the stairs creaking softly behind him only brought a small smile to his face. Honestly, without Beth and Hannah he'd be a complete train wreck. 

Once they were all settled in the basement, the door closed behind him, Josh came to the abrupt realization that he had no idea how to start. Sure, his sister's knew about his sexuality, but his crush on Chris was something he hadn't mentioned to anyone but his therapist and according to them they were under legal obligation never to speak a word of that to anybody.

"...I... Chris doesn't have a crush on Ashley anymore." He finally managed to blurt out, biting at his lip.

"He doesn't?" Beth asked surprised, crossing his arms against his chest. It would certainly explain why the blond wasn't giving that adoring look at the girl or search for her company anymore. 

"You've been trying hard to get them together though. How does it make you feel? Do you know if he has someone else on his mind?" She asked, prompting her brother to continue on.

Forever glad for Beth's curious nature, Josh found just what he was looking for in order to lead the conversation into the direction he needed it to be. "No, he doesn't. Apparently he hasn't for some time now." Leaning against the wall, Josh couldn't help but feel a bit pathetic for not realizing his friend had lost interest in Ashley. He was Chris' best friend, one would think he'd be able to pick up on that kind of thing. But no, he had been too distracted trying to set Chris up with Ashley in order to avoid his own feelings for the blond haired man.

Slumping slightly, he couldn't help but let out a sad sigh at that thought. "No... there doesn't seem to be anyone else, but... I feel... selfish. I spent all this time trying to hook him up with her that I didn't even notice that wasn't what he wanted." He admitted, surges of shame passing through him. At least he felt something. If the meds hadn't been doing their job who knew what his emotions would be doing right now. 

"...I wanted him to get together with her. She's... safe. She's convenient. If Chris hooked up with Ashley, if they got together and they stayed together... then I wouldn't have to deal with my own feelings." He said softly, rubbing his face with his hand as he took a couple of deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Sharing your feelings is important Joshua. Nobody will judge you for them. In. Out. In. Out.

"Chris likes dudes too." 

Okay, so maybe it wasn't exactly what he wanted to tell them, and it probably wasn't the nicest thing to do, outing your best friends sexuality to your sisters without his permission. Even so, with that information out, it opened the door to the heart of the problem.

"It give me hope that maybe I could change our relationship to something less platonic. Which is... I dunno. Fuck." Frustration welled up inside him over the fact that he had been pussyfooting around the subject for so long already. These were his sisters. He didn't have to hide anything from them. "The point is I... probably love Chris. Or at least really, really like him. And now that I know there is a glimmer of a chance I'm conflicted about what the hell I'm supposed to do."

"I feel like I should say something cute and reassuring here, but all I can come up is that you're blind as a bat." Beth stated bluntly, amusement coloring her tone.

"While you were busy trying to set up Chris and Ashley, you missed the looks he started to give _you_." Hannah agreed laughing softly. "The last time I saw him look at you that way was..."

"Around eight grade?" Beth offered.

"Right. Then he suddenly switched to Ashley for what I now think was the same reason you tried to get them together-- to forget you're crushing on your best friend." Hannah agreed.

"You two have danced around each other for ages, and I'm not even kidding here." Beth added, turning to look at her brother. "It's obvious to us, and probably some of the others too... everyone else expect you two. You already act like you're dating, Josh."

Pulling away from his sisters, Josh turned to pace the basement hallway, momentarily lost in his own thoughts as he tried to sort out his conflicting emotions. Weighing the pros and cons of what he should do about what they had just told him. After a long, tense couple of minutes he finally turned back towards them, his expression difficult to read.

"You two really think... he likes me back? Really? You aren't 'Joshing' Josh are you?" He asked, lips pressed into thoughtful line as he looked between his siblings. With the question he became just a bit more open, the glimmers of excitement, as well as uncertainty, topped off with the full weight of his trust for his sister's opinions in his eyes.

"Josh, you know we love to prank you as much as you prank us, but we would never hurt you this way." Beth replied truthfully, the excitement in her brother's voice enough to make her and Hannah smile.

"We want you to be happy, and we honestly don't think there would be a better match for you than Chris. Not only is he hot and kind, but he's also understanding. He hasn't left your side once, and he knows about your struggles. I don't think you could ever trust anyone as much as you trust him." Hannah added rocking on her heels.

"So we think it's your duty to be the one to take Chris... to bone-zone." Beth agreed laughing. "We approve of this relationship. Just don't spring it on him out of nowhere, ease him up to it. Because there is the possibility he fears the same things you do."

Without giving either of them a chance to run away, Josh moved forward to pull the two girls into a fierce hug. His heart was pounding in his chest, his mind coming up with a million different ways to confess his feelings for his blond haired best friend. Had it not been for Hannah and Beth, he probably never would have realized that his feeling had even the slightest chance of being reciprocated. 

"I dunno, I'm looking at two people now who I'd trust with pretty much anything." He said softly, a smile on his face as he finally released the two girls. "Enough to believe what they are telling me and risk my heart over it. Ah, but the heart does go on, so I suppose even if you two are wrong I will live." Letting out a chuckle, he allowed for a comfortable moment of silence to fall between them before finally, his grin lit up his face once more.

"And what better time is there to subtly wiggle my way into Chris' jeans then when were alone in the woods? If his head is feeling better in a couple days I can take him out to the guest cabin. I'll bring a bottle of champagne from the wine cellar up there when I drop off the new bedding stuff this evening. If I slowly start laying suggestions into his head while I'm looking after him today... maybe when the time comes around, we can sort of... ease into something due to the atmosphere." 

Laying out his plan, he turned towards his two sisters, taking in their expressions in a search for approval, and when he was satisfied with what he got his grin only spread further. Flashing his thumbs up at the two girls, he started off towards the stairs once more. "Wish me luck girls! Hopefully, by the end of this week, I will off the list of America's most sought after bachelors. Which I'm on by the way. Number twenty seven."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I just wanted to take a bit of time and thank all of you for your comments/kudos! They really mean a lot to us, and knowing you guys enjoy the story this much is both baffling and exciting~ 
> 
> Also for those who have asked, the pranks will be included in this story. This is going to be a long ass fic, so hopefully you'll remain by our side till the end~

The spring in Josh's step was hard to miss, and even the incredibly boring task of taking care of the upkeep chores for the lodge and guest cabin couldn't keep him down. In an almost comedic fashion, only a few short seconds after he had left the basement, he had returned, giving his sisters an excited wink as he headed towards the wine cellar in search of the champagne bottle he had mentioned earlier before ultimately dashing off back upstairs, bottle of the best champagne money can buy clutched in his hands.

Josh may not have been the most romantic of people, but he had seen enough movies to know that the bubbly was never a bad addition to a night of wooing. And boy did he intend to woo Chris. 

His steps seemed to slow a bit in their liveliness as he drew closer to his room, not wanting to wake the sleeping man who lie inside but needing to get access to the two remaining bags for his chores. Cringing slightly when the door creaked open, he was admittedly surprised to find his friend was already awake. 

"What are you doing up? It's only been like..." Tilting his watch up, he checked the time before lowering it again. "-forty minutes." Slipping easily into the room now that he knew that Chris wouldn't wake from his movements, he watched the other man curiously, secretly looking for the signs that his sisters seemed to believe existed as he mindlessly opened to bag filled with the fresh bedding for the guest cottage and pushed the bottle inside.

"Couldn't sleep any longer." Chris replied smiling a bit at his friend, running his fingers through the mess of his hair. "And I got thirsty. And bored, I want to do something." Yes, he was very aware that he sounded like a whiny child, but he did not like to be forced to rest. He wanted to join the others and make them groan from his bad jokes.

"Don't go all 'doctor-y' on me either, I'm feeling fine." Chris added with an amused smile.

A soft chuckle escaped the older man's lips at his best friends whining. Eyes twinkling, he opened his mouth, instinctively about to make a comment about wanting to do Ashley, only to stop when he remembered that wasn't a thing anymore. Instead, he quickly had to come up with something else, something more in reference to himself. Which was a lot harder then it sounded.

With his teasing about Ashley, there hadn't really been a limit to the crudeness he could go with it. He could belt out lines about her going 'spread eagle' on Chris in gym class during stretches as he wanted and all the blond would do would laugh and tell him half-assedly to stop messing around. A comment like that in regards to himself however, especially so soon after they had established that they both were perfectly capable of partaking in the naughty actions described, might freak Chris out and give him the wrong idea about what Josh wanted from him.

Still, he had started something, and no doubt Chris was expecting something.

"Well, I guess playing doctor can be knocked off the list of how to entertain you then huh? Shame, I was so looking forward to your hands-on checkup." 

How could he have not seen it before? Without the cloud of self-doubt and worry covering his eyes and with the knowledge his sisters had armed him with, Josh could easily see the way his words flustered his friend in a way that wasn't from usual teasing. Chris' reaction was anything but subtle and it was hard for Josh not to stare at the slightly tinted cheeks of his best friend. Had he not been warned earlier by Hannah that moving too quickly might scare the other male away he might have very well leaned in to kiss him right there. Instead, he forcefully turned his attention to search for his beanie, which had slipped off his head during the time he had fallen asleep.

"Hmm?" Leaning around Chris just a bit, he finally caught sight of the garment partially buried in the crack between the headboard and his bed. Without thinking much of it he moved forward to fetch the item, hand moving to rest on the blonds leg and body shifting forward as he strained to grab the item without forcing the other man from the bed, snatching it quickly before returning to his original position and pulling it onto his head. Immediately, he could feel the garment bring warmth to the tip of his ears, which had been starting to tint just a bit red from the cold.

Chris' breath left him in a shaky inhale, eyes just a tad wider, grip from the glass nearly painfully tight. The sudden closeness had caught him completely by surprise, the press against his thigh causing a shiver to race down his spine as he fought to keep himself still. It was too easy to smell the earthy scent of his friend, too easy to see the way Josh's muscles rippled and moved as he reached for something behind the two of them.

The urge to lean in and bury himself against the other had been strong. 

"So, umm... how is the unpacking going?" Chris broke the silence clearing his throat, actively avoiding Josh's eyes.

"Oh! Sorry. One track mind there for a moment. Uhh, you know, boring as fuck. I still have to go around plugging in new lightbulbs and replacing shit but if it's the price I gotta pay for getting the cabin then it's fine." Offering a grin at his friend, Josh waved off the boring task with his usual chipperness. "If you really can't stay in bed anymore you're free to keep me company while I take care of things." He added as an after thought.

"R-Right." Chris coughed, covering how flustered he was by busying himself with the glass, placing it over on the table. "I suppose that's better than remaining here where I just might die from sheer boredom." He laughed nervously, fingers running through his hair. "Shall we get to it then?"

"Yeah, let's go." Moving to check the two bags that remained, Josh made sure the one that he grabbed was in fact the one filled with replacement items and not his clothing before flashing his friend the thumbs up. "Just let me know if we need to slow down the pace or if you need to tap out." 

"Again, not an invalid." Chris repeated smiling a bit more relaxed now that there was a bit of distance between them and he felt like he could breath properly without being assaulted by the other's scent.

He got up from the bed, taking couple of seconds to make sure his head was not spinning and his legs were strong enough to carry him before joining Josh by the door, hands pushed into his pockets. "Lead the way."

While it may not have been laying around in bed all day boring, walking around changing light bulbs and tossing shit into laundry bags certainly wasn't the most interesting way to spend the day. Josh seemed to amuse himself by badly singing various movie themes or cracking the occasional joke. As the time went on, he seemed to grow more and more at ease with Chris walking around and the semi-constant checks to make sure the other wasn't going to pass out ultimately became a once an hour thing. 

It was probably sometime around three in the afternoon when they finally headed outside. Josh had been insistent that Chris not come with him to the guest cabin, but he had no issue with letting the other join him as he went about changing the lights on the porch and in the general vicinity. In fact, he had even said that the fresh air might do Chris a little bit of good after following him around the musty lodge.

Josh had just settled into the last of the porch lights when Ashley came trucking down one of the paths, snow dusting her jacket and hat, her cheeks red from the cold and the snowball fight she had taken part with the other girls only a few minutes before. 

Her surprise, and subsequent delight to see Chris up and out of bed was noticeable from a mile away.

"Chris! You're out of bed." She said, not really a question but also not just a statement, more something to press a bit for an explanation. It was then that she noticed Josh, working away at the rather agitating task of unscrewing a rather stubborn bulb, and her eyes only seemed to ask for further explanation.

"Hey Ash." Chris greeted pushing his hands deeper in his pockets, gaze dragging up Ashley's form taking in the snow on her clothes and the smile on her face. He felt happy that his friend was having a good time, but aside from that he felt nothing. No flutter of heart, no thoughts how he'd want to kiss her. Nothing.

"I got tired of laying around, so I'm following Josh on his duties to fix up this place." He explained glancing up at the older man to make sure he was not going to fall off the ladders. "And it seems he has some troubles unscrewing things."

The rather quick flick of the bird in Chris and Ashley's direction courtesy of Josh was enough to bring a soft laugh to the girls lips, shaking her head at the antics of the oldest of their group. Slowly, her eyes turned back towards Chris, her gaze soft, a glimmer of concern lingering there. 

"Well, take it easy okay? You took a rather big fall." Ashley said with a gentle smile, her hand moving up to softly run his gloved fingers through the dark blond hair near Chris' wound, her hand lingering there as she looked up at the man, lips parted softly to say that she was still a bit worried for him.

The light bulb that Josh had been working to remove from its socket fell and shattered on the ground.

It was bad enough that Chris seemed so relaxed and affectionate with Ashley, the act of her leaning up to touch him had been more then enough to incite the little green monster in Josh into action. He had just worked the light bulb free when he had caught sight of the two and in an act that admittedly he wasn't too proud of, he purposely dropped the bulb.

The sound of the glass breaking caused them to jump apart, Chris spinning around so fast he went light headed for a moment and had to brace himself against one of the wooden pillars. "Hey man, you alright?" He asked concerned, sweeping the shards clumsily with his feet in one pile so no one would step on them.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Letting out an embarrassed laugh, Josh slid his way down the ladder to land beside Chris, his eyes cast down at the shards that the other man was pushing around with his feet. "I was just lost in my thoughts for a bit."

Turning his head a bit, he offered Ashley an apologetic smile as well, though there was a tint of possessiveness in his gaze. A part of him wanted nothing more then to bury his face in his best friends shoulder, run his fingers through that dark blond faux-hawk and just scream 'MINE'. He doubted that Chris would handle that well however, and instead he merely carried on as if he hadn't just smashed a light bulb in an act of pure jealousy. 

"Sorry if I scared you princess." He said in a somewhat playful, flirty tone, which seemed to cause Ashley to crack a smile, even if there was a tinge of discomfort in her gaze. She knew. There was no way she didn't.

Chris glanced at Ashley, offering her a tiny smile of comfort before nodding his head towards the others. "If my head feels alright, I'll join you guys tomorrow. Can't go missing on a good old-fashioned snowball fight, can I?" He said chuckling, giving her a nod as a dismissal so he could focus back on the work they were supposed to do.

As if realizing that she would not be getting any more of a conversation from Chris, Ashley nodded her head in agreement to his words before bidding the pair goodbye, leaving Chris and Josh alone on the porch once more. A fact that Josh was rather thankful for. Any longer and he would have started feeling guilty.

"Try not to break this bulb, alright?" Chris said handing Josh the new one from the small box. "We kind of need the light to see."

Taking his place back at the latter, Josh didn't immediately reach for the light bulb, instead climbing until he could reach both the socket and the bulb, his dark eyes glancing down at his best friend and the offered item. It was then that an idea struck him, his lips curling softly as he moved to take the item being handed to him.

However, instead of immediately pulling away, he allowed his touch to linger, the pads of his own fingers brushing softly against Chris' hand before he managed to grab hold. His eyes were carefully trained not to look directly at Chris', as that would have been too obvious a move, instead watching the contrast between his own finger's and that of his friend. 

Josh had always liked Chris' hands. They were larger then his own, the fingernails just a bit stubbier, fingers just a bit thicker. They were a sharp contrast to the thin, almost slender hands that seemed to run his family. At least they weren't small like his mothers and his sisters. All and all, Chris' hands looked warm and inviting, and more then once Josh had made jokes about them ranging from the crude to the cuddly. 

"Right. I'll keep that in mind. Last thing we want is a bunch of drunkards stumbling about in the dark." The smile he gave was his normal smile, but the words came out slightly more breathless then he originally intended them to be. Plucking the light bulb from Chris once he was confident that he had lingered just the right amount of time, he returned to his original task.

The lingering touch had caused his skin to tingle ever so slightly, as if he was suddenly hyper aware of the spots they were touching each other. Such an innocent sort of touch, yet it was more than enough to cause Chris to release a nervous laugh as he ducked his head down smiling sheepishly.

He had felt Josh's hands several times of course, mending his wounds, pushing or punching him lightly, even tickling him. But this was different. This touch woke the new thoughts within him, caused him to wonder if those hands would feel as soft and warm on his neck, maybe on his lips.

Another cough broke free from the blond, and he looked around briefly as if making sure no one saw the moment. "Yeah, I think one drunkard stumbling and breaking their head is enough."

'Hook, line, and sinker.' The satisfaction that flooded through Josh as he watched Chris from the corner of his eye was incredible. Not only was it a boost to his ego, but it was more then enough encouragement for him to continue on with his plan. The devious upwards tilt of his lips was carefully planned for the moment that Chris turned away, a new idea forming in his mind.

The task of finishing changing the light bulbs on the porch didn't take much longer, the darker skinned man eager to move on to his next plan. It was a bit more risky, but if it went well it would definitely leave a lot more to Chris' imagination then anything a brush of hands could do. 

Slipping down the ladder once more, he gestured his head back towards the house. "Just the basement to take care of now. It might take a bit longer then the rest of the stuff. There's a drip in one of the pipes that my father wanted me to put some stuff on until we can get a plumber up here." He explained. 

Again, it wasn't a lie. But the way he would go about this task was no considerably different then if he was doing it alone.

"I hope it's not the hot water pipe, I don't think Sam could handle this trip without her warm baths." Chris joked switching the light on briefly to check the bulb was working before switching it off again and followed after Josh. 

The snow crunched under their feet, and a part of him wanted to bend down and grab some snow he could throw at Josh, but knowing the older boy it would easily dissolve into a full-on snowball fight which could put his head in a risk-zone.

That would just have to wait until tomorrow.

Leading the way into the house, Josh stopped to quickly dump the boxes of used bulbs into the kitchen trash before leading the way to the basement for the second time that day, passing the bags that had contained the props. Not wanting their trip down to be entirely in silence he carried on with a casual conversation about their contents. "My dad has some pretty wild stuff this time around. You should see the mask I dropped out. It's wild." 

In order to avoid being blinded when he changed the light bulbs, Josh opted to pick up two of the nearby flashlights, tossing one to Chris before turning on his own. "I'll show it to you once we can turn the actual lights on. For now, enjoy the atmosphere and the sound of my sensual voice as I lead you deeper in the belly of my family's lodge. Woooo~." 

Sensual voice or not, Josh certainly didn't have a lack of things to say as they went about changing the last of the remaining light bulbs. Babbling about nothing and everything, he tried to keep his mind off the flooding of nerves that seemed to be growing ever more present the closer they drew to the next part of his plan. By the time they exchanged their flashlights for the overhead lights he had already gone through a list of all the things he had brought down earlier.

"So, only the pipe left, right?" Chris asked blinking couple of times when the overhead lights were turned on, and he turned to inspect the room briefly before focusing his attention on Josh. "I mean... I would assume you know how to take care of one." He teased lightly, snickering under his breath.

Pulling out the sealant from the bag of supplies he had dumped nearby, Josh tossed the tube back and forth in his hand as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the sudden change in lighting. Once he was sure he wouldn't be bumping into anything he pulled away from the bag, his lips curling into a wide grin at his friends words.

"Yeah, it's when it's two or more that I start getting confused about which to handle first." Letting out a small hum, Josh allowed Chris to interpret that in any way he wanted. And, should the other male take it to an innuendo, whether or not the words were true or merely teasing. After all, while Josh may have shared knowledge of his lady conquests with his best friend, the subject of his male partners had never come up in conversation, and the darker skinned male didn't intend to bring that up until the time was right.

Slipping through the basement towards the area where the pipes seemed to be centralized. The pipe in question actually was kind of hard to spot, settled in a corner that was blocked off by another pipe that flowed between two tanks, to high for Josh to step over but too low for him to duck underneath it. Thankfully, if he balanced himself right, he would be able to bend over and reach the broken pipe fairly easily.

The pipe itself didn't seem too badly off. It was definitely rusted and in need of replacing, and it was leaking water in a small steam onto the floor, but the sealant would handle it for the week and however long it took for the plumber to arrive. Pulling back after his initial inspection, Josh took a deep breath to steady his nerves before turning to look back at his friend. 

Dark fingers moved to unzip the zipper of his jacket, pulling the garment off and dropping it to the ground with a soft 'poomph' noise, his lips curled into a soft smile as he moved to explain why he was starting to strip to his friend. "It's leaking. Not a lot, but enough that there is no way I'm getting out of there without getting wet. While the outside of my jacket is waterproof, if water gets on the inside then I'm stuck walking around with icy water against my skin all day."

With the jacket off, he moves forward once again, counting to ten in his head before pulling back again, faking a small sigh. "...probably should take the shirts off too. The dryer is filled enough as is... Fuck, this is going to be cold." 

Hoping that Chris didn't notice the shaking of his fingers, or if he did he mistook them for chill and not nerves, Josh moves to slip the two shirts that had lie beneath the warmer garment onto the floor to join their brother, his skin almost immediately pimpling up as the chill hits him. While not as muscular as Mike or Matt, and certainly a lot leaner then any of the other men, Josh wasn't completely without shape or muscle. His chest certainly was well structured, and his arms were just the right size, at least that's what Josh liked to think. All in all, he wasn't bad on the eyes, not in the least.

Letting out a small shiver, he turned to offer his friend a thumbs up, allowing Chris the chance to take the sight of him in before turning around, grabbing the sealant and setting to work. The positioning of the pipe was convenient enough that it allowed Josh to not only fairly easily line himself up with the pipe he was working on, but to also give Chris a very nice view of his ass. Uncapping the bottle and setting the cap down upon the nearest flat surface, he took a deep breath and dropped forward. 

The position was naughty and he knew it. Ducked in at just the right angle, his ass and hips lifted in a way that it was damn near impossible to not look at them, while at the same time giving the blond a nice line of sight down Josh's back, the muscles of which were straining under the skin as he used one arm to balance against the pipe and the other to apply the sealant. Unable to help himself, he wiggled his hips for a bit of extra emphasis.

That had probably been where he went wrong. 

The shifting had caused him to slip forward, his fingers losing their original grip on the pipe that he was using to keep himself balanced and twisting so painfully that he had to let go or risk breaking it. The cry that escaped his lips was not a nice one, a mixture of fear and surprise being pulled from his lips as he began to fall forward. His hands moved, dropping the sealant and whatever else he was doing in order to protect his head from hitting anything, and while it worked it also put him in a very bad position to wiggle out of.

"...shit. Oh shit. Shit..." The space he was in was too narrow for him to really move his arms, and due to his fall forward his feet had absolutely no grip on the ground, leaving him wedged into the space with no real way to get out. To make matters worse, the pipe he had been working on just so happened to be dribbling cold water onto his bare shoulders every couple of seconds. All in all, it was probably the least sexy scene Chris would ever lay eyes on.

"Why do you always get yourself stuck in these situations?" He asked sighing fondly, arm sliding around Josh' waist to keep the man up and not crash further into the wall. It had been torture, pure, shaming torture to watch Josh like that. While he could understand Josh's reason to strip out of his clothes, he had not expected his friend to literally... well, strip out of his clothes. Of course he had seen Josh without a shirt countless of time, but this was different. This was a tease, this was seeing something with a new point of view that left his breath coming out in small pants of air.

And the position just begged for trouble.

If he had been brave enough, he would have walked over to Josh, run his fingers down his friend's spine to see him shudder. Maybe he would kiss the skin too, taste the salt and let his lips linger, hand sliding lower to rub him--

Thankfully the shout that had broken from Josh's lips had been enough to shake Chris back to reality, before something embarrassing had happened.

"Turn just a bit-- there, just let me--" His other hand slid over Josh' shoulder, turning him ever so slightly before slipping around his chest (ignoring how warm the skin felt) and pulling him backwards slowly, bracing his weight against the pipes so they would not crash back into the same position.

A whimper like whine was the only response that Chris got out of Josh in response to his question. After all, it wasn't exactly easy to talk when your body was position in a way that made you reminiscent of the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar. Honestly, Josh didn't trust his voice not to sound pathetic even if he could speak. This entire situation was beyond humiliating. 

It certainly wasn't the first time that Chris had seen him do something stupid, but the fact the stupid thing happened while he was trying to be sexy for his crush only brought a deep red shame to his cheeks that quickly covered not only his entire face but some of his neck as well. Josh literally did not think this could have gone any worse then it already had. Such a shame that fate seemed to think differently.

The feeling of Chris' arm around his waist brought a small shudder to his skin, the contact feeling far more intimate then it really was due to the way he was bent over that pipe. While he knew his friends intentions were pure, as Chris moved to position him in a way that would allow the blond to help him, he could help but let out the smallest of groans when he brushed a particularly sensitive area around his rib cage. A noise that was made twelve times louder as it echoed between the pipes. 

If that wasn't bad enough, the sudden change in position had Josh scrambling desperately for somewhere to put his feet. His legs had been hanging awkwardly over the pipe a few second ago, but they had also been serving as somewhat of a balancing act and the loss of that caused the dark haired youth to panic, one foot locking at Chris' calves and pulling him close, the end result being that his ass and his friend's crotch made a rather immediate connection with one another that was only made more apparent by the rather slow pace they were taking to get the older man out of his stuck position.

"Almost there." Chris mumbled flustered, not sure if he was reassuring Josh or himself-- perhaps both of them. His steps were slow as he backed them off, careful that they would not tumble down on the hard floor. The least they needed was for one of them to get knocked over again.

Hannah and Beth DEFINITELY would never let him live this down. Internally slumping in complete and utter defeat, Josh could do little more then try and keep his breathing under control and his heart beat steady. Chris probably already could feel its thundering pace as is, though he was thankful the other male didn't try to draw attention to it.

Eventually, Josh's head and arms were pulled free enough for him to right them, his palms resting on the floor and pushing upwards, finally righting himself enough for Chris to completely pull him out. The second he was free Josh pulled away, slumping against the nearest wall and shoving his face into own hands to hide his shame filled face. 

"Fuck..." Was the only thing he managed to utter out, unsure whether to laugh or cry over how absurd that situation had been. "...is there any way a bribe of fifty dollar will get you to promise never to speak of that to my sisters?" He said, joking, even though his voice held an almost weak, breathless quality to it. In the end, the humor of the situation won out, and he started to laugh, a strangely broken but at the same time heartfelt noise that probably made his friend feel confused. 

"I wouldn't blame you if you said no." He admitted, finally lifting his hands from his face, which while still bright red was now sporting a very prominent grin.

It was clear as day that his friend was both flustered and embarrassed as heck. He had not found Josh in this kind of state since he had caught him playing with his sister's dollhouse on the sixth grade. It felt weirdly nostalgic and a tad amusing. 

Still, the look of utter defeat on Josh's face was enough for him to shake his head, despite the grin playing on his lips. 

"They won't find out, I promise." He assured the other, picking up the shirts from the floor and walked over to Josh. "Here, so you won't catch a cold."

Slowly, Josh rose from where he had been sitting on the ground, the smile slipping from his face as Chris drew closer, his head turning down cast as his expression turned contemplative. The second that Chris got close enough, Josh's fingers shot out to grab hold of the wrist of the hand holding his clothing, no doubt taking the other male by surprise from the suddenness of the action. For a second everything was still, before Josh slowly raised his head once more.

The look in his eyes was different, far different then anything Chris had probably seen on him. It was as if he had come to a decision after a very long, long time spent pondering an answer, and now had all the determination and confidence in that answer that he could muster. 

Which was admittedly exactly what it was.

His original plan at seduction ruined, but the moment still running on the emotional high that had gone on throughout the past couple of minutes, the dark haired youth had realized if he didn't act now, he might as well toss in the towel. There was no way he was recovering from that fiasco without doing something incredibly bold.

Finger's tightening slightly he stepped forward, dark eyes catching those of his best friends and holding it as he drew closer. The hand not holding Chris' wrist moved to the younger man's shoulder, then up his neck in a soft, intimate gesture, squeezing softly as he slowly closed the distance between them until they were only a hair's breath apart. Slowly, his eyes began to close, the very slow act of closing that last bit of distance beginning. 

Chris' heart was hammering so hard he feared Josh would be able to hear it. The grip on his wrist was firm but not painful, as if Josh was making sure he would remain there instead of running away. Josh's breath was warm against his lips, causing them to dry up both from anticipation and nerves, fingers curling ever so slightly.

Chris would have had to be blind or brain dead not to know what Josh was intending to do at that moment. 

Of course, fate had already decided to make Joshua Washington its bitch today, and just as his eyes had slipped completely shut and their lips were just about to touch, the sound of Sam's voice filled the room and knocked Josh straight back to his senses. "Josh! The warm water is out! If you managed to break something else while you were messing with the pipes down here so help m-...oh my god."

The realization of what she had just been interrupting was enough to make Sam's eyes nearly pop out of her skull, more so due to the fact that the two were finally acting on it then the fact it was Josh and Chris together. Unsure how to respond, she could only really stand flabbergasted, her expression apologetic as she slowly backed away. "Right. I can see you're busy. We'll talk later."

Chris jerked back at the interruption, cheeks positively flaming a dark shade of red as his gaze darted from Sam to Josh... who was still very much half naked.

"It's fine, I was just... I needed to go anyway, take some painkillers." Chris stumbled over the words obviously embarrassed, turning to look at Josh briefly. "So I'll just see you back inside, right?" He added smiling in a nearly shy manner, placing the clothes in Josh's arm before practically fleeing from the scene.

Standing there with a blank expression on his face, it took a good minute before Josh realized what exactly had just happened. He had tried to kiss Chris. He had almost succeeded in kissing Chris. Not only that, but the other man had seemed more then willing to reciprocate said kiss once said kiss actually would have happened. So why did the world have to hate him so much as to ruin that moment?

Still, even though Chris made to flee, the shy smile and flustered cheeks were more than enough to tell Josh that there would be a chance for another kiss, and even though this moment had been ruined, he couldn't help but erupt into the biggest smile. 

"...He likes me. He totally does. There is no way that he would have let me go that far if he didn't." He said, looking towards Sam for confirmation.

"That does seem to be the case." She agreed, only to find herself smiling as his face lit up even further.

Shuffling a bit, Josh's smile didn't leave his face as he stared up at the door, or even after he had realized he still had a pipe to deal with and hot water to return to the building. 

"Right! Pipes! Hot water! I'm on it!"


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of his work went by without incident. Without the need to impress Chris, Josh instead opted for the safer route of ducking under the pipe and fixing the damaged one while kneeling down. The hot water was an easy fix, the lights showing him what he needed to press without much difficulty in the slightest. All in all, it couldn't have taken more than twenty minutes.

All in all, his mood was probably the best it had been since, well, ever. Josh couldn't remember the last time he had been so utterly and completely contented with his life, and while he knew that such things weren't going to last forever, he fully intended to remember this feeling when the lows eventually hit him at a later date. 

Wiping off the water that had dribbled onto his skin while he was fixing the the pipe with the edge of one of the prop costumes, he quickly slid back into his shirts and jacket, glad for the warmth once again. Sam had already departed for her bath, and with everything finished down in the basement he was left with only one last thing to take care of. 

The guest cabin.

Had he known earlier that he would end up having such a successful day with his crush, he probably would have taken care of the cabin first, and as he climbed the steps of the basement, and then the ones to the second floor, he found himself cursing his foolishness. He would have had more time flirting with Chris if had taken care of it sooner.

He really should have expected to find Chris in his room. The blond seemed to have chosen to spend his time their over his own earlier after all. His lips curled into a teasing smile as he stepped inside, leaning against the door frame as he watched the other male. "You really can't get enough of my room, huh? Or maybe you were waiting for me?" Wiggling his eyebrows, Josh's smile was bright and sincere now.

Chris' turned his head at the words, an amused smile spreading on his lips at the sight of the other. "Nah man, maybe I just prefer your bed over the lumpy ones in the guest room." Chris teased right back, biting on the inside of his cheek in hopes he would not grin too widely. "If I were waiting for you.... trust me, you'd know." He added, the smile melting into a sly smirk.

"You're more then welcome to share it with me, Cochise." He could clearly see how hard it was for Chris to contain his giddiness. The same very giddiness that had Josh beaming from ear to ear as he stood there watching his closest friend and hopefully soon to be boyfriend. The mere thought that Chris' feelings were so on wavelength with his own only made him all the more excited. 

"It wouldn't just be comfier, but warmer too. Body heat and all that. Of course, for the full effect we'd have to be naked." Shrugging his shoulders, he moved forward, still smiling as he came in closer, settling himself down next to his friend before leaning in a bit closer to whisper in his ear, voice tinted with what Josh hoped to be a seductive tone. "Would you like to see the Washington monument Christopher?"

"Oh my god." Chris groaned in embarrassment of the joke, hoping it would hide just how much those words (no matter how silly they were) truly affected him. 

"So that's why you would always cuddle up to me during the nights. Trying to steal a piece of that heat?" He asked voice cracking a bit, a shiver running down his spine as the other kept breathing against his ear.

The dopey grin lingered as Josh let out a soft hum, shifting away so that he could rest his head upon the blonde's shoulder, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax. "It isn't stealing if it's given willingly, Cochise. You never pushed me away." He seemed to pause for a moment, wondering if the other male had allowed the intimate gesture for more reasons then just sharing body heat. It would make sense, knowing what he did now. 

"But no, not entirely. I'm just a cuddler." He admitted with a small sigh, shuffling his head a bit to get a slightly more comfortable angle on the other's shoulder. "That isn't a problem, is it?" He asked in a somewhat playful tone, finally opening his eyes, tilting his head so he could get at least some view of his friends face. One of his hands moved just a tad bit closer to Chris, bumping the other's outer thigh before stopping, a part of him wanting very much to move it to rest atop of the blonds own. He already knew the answer to the question, but still, he wanted to hear the words from Chris' lips.

"If it were, I would have kicked you out of the bed ages ago." Chris replied amused, tilting his head to the side a bit as Josh rested his head against his shoulder. Honestly, he did not mind it at all. He actually enjoyed waking up in the mornings with Josh's arms around his body, cuddling him like the octopus he was. It was on those mornings when he would fake sleep a bit longer just to get a couple of extra minutes in Josh's arms.

His fingers twitched ever so slightly, wishing he had the courage to reach out and touch Josh's hand with his own. Instead he curled the fingers around his friend's sleeve, clinging lightly before resting his head on top of Josh's, heart beating just a tad faster in his chest.

The room fell into a comfortable silence as the pair of boys sat there, both secretly hoping that the other would grow the balls to close the distance and take the other's hand. It was just as Josh had come to the decision to do just that when the sound of footsteps padding up to his door caused his attention to drift away from the fingers currently playing with his sleeve. Slowly, his mouth turned into a smile as he caught sight of Hannah standing at the door, her lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Hey, Hannah-Banana. What can I help you with?" Not doing anything to pull away from Chris, Josh watched his sister with a playful but curious gaze, lips only curling into a larger grin when she let out a groan at the affectionate but very childish nickname.

"I came up to remind you that unless you want to be walking back to the lodge in the dark, it might be a good idea for you to start heading out to the guest cabin now." She said softly, feeling a bit bad to be separating the boys now that they finally seemed to have come to a conclusion about their mutual feelings. 

The groan that escaped Josh's lips at the reminder was almost painful in how prolonged it was. While he knew his sister was right, it still didn't mean he was thrilled with the idea of it. He hated the trek to the guest cabin. Then again, he hated it even more when it had to be done in the dark. 

"Fine, fine. I'll get it done." Gently, he pulled his head from where it had been comfortably lying on Chris' shoulder and slid off the bed, padding over to the last of the bags. He gave Hannah a pitiful pout, his eyes pleading with her to take over the job, but she merely shook her head no. 

With a defeated sigh, the oldest of the three in the room turned his gaze one last time over to the man sitting on his bed, a playful smile forming on his face. "We can continue... whatever it was that was... when I get back. Won't be more then an hour. Think you can manage without me until then?"

"Maybe, maybe not. If I die, bury me with my xbox." Chris replied grinning, already missing the warmth of his friend against him. "Just get back in one piece, or I'll kill you myself." He finished lamely, not wanting to show how concerned he felt, even if it was obvious with the way he looked at Josh.

"I dunno man. You have a really nice xbox. It would be a shame to bury it." Josh said with a playful wink. For a very brief moment Josh debated the idea of sprouting out some mushy nonsense from one of the hundreds of romance films he had watched with Hannah. Instead, he opted for the more playful approach of blowing a kiss in Chris' direction and a ruffle to his sister's hair. "I'll see you two in an hour or two. Try to keep the others from eating all the food before I get back."

With those words Josh took his leave, but not before chancing one last, soft smile in Chris' direction, a slight blush tinting his dark cheeks before he dashed off, leaving just an amused Hannah and no doubt a slightly flustered Chris alone.

"What a dork." Hannah said softly, shaking her head at her brother's antics before turning towards Chris. "Just don't get any funny ideas for tonight alright? You're still not in the clear with that head wound. Not to mention these walls aren't exactly soundproof." Not waiting for Chris to babble out a response, the dark haired woman gave him wave before heading off to join her own best friend and sister in the movie room.

***

Josh had not expected much of the trip to the guest cabin. Yes, he did trip a couple of times on a few rocks. Yes, he did see a couple of deer curiously watching him from somewhere just beyond the path. However, none of that was really interesting or notable. Expect if you counted the strange feeling of being watched through a majority of it.

The cabin was just as he remembered it to be when his parents had constructed it. Isolated, cold and smelling of pinewood. Still, now that he was older and had a bit more experience under his belt he could understand what the appeal of the cabin could be. It was homely and with a fire and the right atmosphere it could easily be the setting of a romantic scene between some mountain hero and his beautiful wife. 

Or the place where Josh finally took Chris to the bone-zone for the first time.

The thought of it filled his stomach with butterflies, his lips parting into a goofy smile as he allowed his mind to drift off as he set about his tasks. There was a lot to do, but the more he worked the more he grew excited for what would eventually come to pass here. By the time he had placed the bottle of champagne into the fridge he had come up with at least a million different scenarios, all of which would win him an Academy Award for sure. 

With his bag filled with old linens and trash, Josh emerged from the cabin with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. Sure, he probably wouldn't get back to the lodge before night had fallen, as the sun was now barely a sliver in the horizon, but that didn't matter. He was excited and happy, and absolutely nothing was going to ruin his mood.

"You should not be here."

Except maybe the sudden appearance of a mysterious and armed figure.

The shock of the sudden appearance, coupled with the isolation and the fact the man was armed was enough to bring a scream to Josh's lips that echoed out through the whole mountain. Stepping back, the youth's foot slipped on one of the stones near his feet, falling back on his ass.

The man rolled his eyes, one movement stopping the wolf that had inched closer to the fallen man. 

"It's not safe here." The stranger added, pale eye fixed on the brunette. "Rogue wolves have wandered closer to the lodge than in years, you should gather your friends and leave before someone gets eaten."

"I-Is that all? T-thanks for the warning man but don't worry. We've got guns and some traps to keep things like that away." Josh's voice was shaky, as were his legs as he slowly, VERY slowly rose to his feet, his eyes still locked on the wolf nearby. "I'll be sure to tell my friends not to head out alone or after dark though." He hoped that the smile he offered the man when he finally turned to face him appeared confident, but he wasn't so sure.

"The walls can not protect you from this threat, boy." The stranger said coldly, fingers brushing against the black wolf's head briefly. 

"If you know what's best for you and your friends, you'll leave as soon as you can. I'd hate to clean up your intestines from the snow."

"...But they're wolves. It isn't like they can open doors or anything." Letting out a very nervous laugh, Josh stood there looking as if he was debating the pros and cons of making a dash for it. Everything about the man before him screamed that he was on a completely different level of mentally ill. Probably somewhere along the lines of psychotic. The fact that he had to add the extra bit about the whole intestines thing only served to creep Josh out further. 

"If it means so much to you, we'll board up the windows and stuff at night. Alright? Nothing in, nothing out." He finally offered, still hoping for a chance to slip past the strange man and back to the lodge. The sun had already set after all and he still had a good ten minute walk in the dark to look forward too. Now with the addition of potentially man-eating wolves.

"Do not say I didn't warn you. Dark things lurk in the shadow, and you can count yourself lucky if you survive." The man stated in an almost bored way, whistling sharply which had the wolves perking up and running ahead in the forest, followed soon by the stranger.

Lingering for a long moment, as if unsure whether what had happened was real or not, but the dampness on his ass and the paw prints in the snow were more then enough to prove the man that was slowly disappearing in the distance was not a hallucination. It wasn't until he was completely gone and the sensation of a cold wind striking his cheek that Josh realized that he had to return to the lodge. 

Tonight would be a sleepless one for Josh Washington, that was for sure.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, just a quick PSA for you! We've created a new account for the Climbing Class stories we're writing, seeing as this is my personal account.
> 
> From now on, you'll find the new stories in the account "wendibros"
> 
> We've got a lot of stories planned and some are already being written, and you'll get the first chapter from one of them later tonight!
> 
> Ps. Thank you for your support, you guys are awesome~!

Meanwhile, the lodge was beginning to fill with life as the group returned, bringing with them the sound of concerned murmurings. It was Mike who entered first, his face bearing the signature redness of the cold, and a slight tint of fear in his gaze as he looked around the lodge. "Hello? You guys in here?" 

Jess frowned, the sound of Josh's scream lingering unpleasantly in her ears, no doubt the cause of anxiousness among all the others who had just entered the room as well. "I'm going to find Sam, Beth and Hannah. They should still be downstairs..." She said, Ashley following suit as the two headed to the movie room in search of the twins and Sam, leaving Mike, Emily and Matt to search for Josh and Chris.

"Mike? What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost." Chris teased lightly as he walked down the stairs, though the look of seriousness on Emily's face had him quickly going silent.

"More like heard a banshee." Mike said in response to Chris' words. "This is no time for jokes, Chris. Is Josh in here?" 

"What? No, he's at the guest cabin. Why, what's going on?"

"You... didn't hear it? Josh let out a scream so loud that we thought there was going to be an avalanche. We had hoped it was because some stupid prank you pulled on him." Was Matt's reply to the questioning, his gaze looking towards Mike. "If he's at the cabin then..." The lingering tenseness in the air spoke volumes. While nobody said it, it was fairly obvious what they were all thinking. 

Something had happened to Josh near the cabin.

All that Chris' thoughts focused on were "Josh, scream, danger". Something had happened to the older man, something had hurt him, maybe he had slipped and broken his ankle, maybe an animal had attacked him, maybe--

He released a shaky breath he hadn't realized he had been holding before cursing rather loudly. "I knew I shouldn't have let him go alone!" He blamed himself, the fear squeezing his chest tight enough to make breathing painful. 

Wasting no time Chris practically stumbled down the stairs, already pulling his coat on with jerky movements before Beth caught a hold of him, freezing him on the spot. "Where do you think you're going? You're not healthy enough to go running into the dark!"

"Josh can be hurt, or worse. I can't just sit here and wait for a miracle!"

"If you pass out on the mountain, you're more of a burden than a help, don't do anything reckless!" Beth protested, but did not stop Chris from yanking his arm free. His fingers shook as he slid up the zipper, lips pressed in a thin line. "I'm going to bring him back. I'm supposed to look after him." He stated grabbing the flashlight from the table before heading over to the door.

"Chris man you aren't thinking straight. I get that you are worried about Josh but you can't go out there with your head like that." Mike said as he moved to take Beth's place in preventing the man from running out to save the potentially injured Josh. By now everyone had congregated by the door, their looks of worry, both for Chris and for Josh making it clear to him that SOMEBODY had to go out there and look for him. But that somebody couldn't be Chris.

Opening his mouth, he was surprised when somebody else beat him to the punch. "I'll go and look for him." Sam's words brought all eyes to her, her hand held out towards Chris as if she expected him to hand her the flashlight. "I've come here enough with the Washington family to know how to get to the cabin and back in the dark." 

"If you're going, I'm going too." Hannah said, stepping to join her best friend, a hand on the other girls shoulder. "If Josh is wounded, he'll need somebody who will be able to calm him down." 

The door opened before anyone else could say a word. To say Josh was surprised when he was greeted with nine pairs of worried eyes suddenly turned towards him would be an understatement, but he offered them all a grin anyway as he closed the door behind him.

"...there is a movie quote somewhere for this kind of situation. If you guys give me a moment I'm sure I'll come up with it." He joked.

Chris was stuck staring at Josh for a long moment, gaze sweeping over the other's body like he could see through his clothes whether he was injured or not. The fact that he could walk on his own was a good sign, right? 

His steps were slow as he walked over to Josh, fingers trembling a bit as he touched the brunette's arm, then slid up the hand up carefully, like the other could turn to dust under his touch. 

He was aware of the silence that hung heavy in the air, yet he could not care less at the moment. Fingers skimmed over Josh's cheek tenderly, playing with the strands of his hair for a moment before his shoulders sagged.

Josh was alright.

He seemed to be unhurt.

Chris pulled his hand back, only to punch Josh's arm a second later. "You asshole! What do you think you're doing, scaring everyone by your scream? I thought-- We thought something had happened to you!"

The slightly widened eyes and flushed cheeks were the only signs showing just how distressed the blond had felt, and he practically threw the flashlight on the nearby armchair with a sound of frustration, obviously trying to calm himself down.

"Ow! Holy shit Chris!" The punch itself wouldn't have hurt that bad had it not been for the fact that he already had a bruise forming in that general location from one of the various times he fell on the trail. To make matters worse, pretty much everyone seemed to join in Chris' frustration, Mike and Sam moving to punch his other arm and smack him upside the head respectively as the others retreated back into the foyer after Chris. 

The guilt from before turned into agitation, Josh's lips pressed into a small frown as he dumped the bag to the ground, the earlier butterflies now turned into raging wasps in his stomach. "Yeah, thanks for the concern everyone. No, it's completely fine. Let's just punch and glare at the guy who just had a run in with the resident crazy mountain wolf hobo with a machete. I'm totally the asshole here." He said in an agitated tone just barely above a whisper, brushing past Hannah, who had moved to try and speak to her now agitated brother, her gaze turning confused at Josh's words.

"What are you talking about Josh?" She asked, following after him as he made his way past their probably confused friends and into the kitchen to fetch the medical box there, intent on distracting himself with the simple task of cleaning up his scraped knees and elbows. 

Letting out a soft sigh, Josh slumped forward, a sense of weariness building him that he knew wasn't from actually being tired. "It was probably the guy dad told us about. The one he think is squatting in the old Sanatorium. Either way he thought it would be a good idea to suddenly pop out from behind a tree while I was leaving the cabin with his posse of pet wolves in order to tell me there are some rouge wolves running around and we should leave the mountain. Then he proceeded to wax poetic things creeping in the night and I spent the whole damn trip back on edge, falling into ditches and tripping over logs."

The feeling of Hannah's arms wrapping around his shoulder was a great comfort, and it did a lot to take the edge off of Josh's already rampant emotions. Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit bitter over Chris' reaction to his return.

The news about possible rogue wolves seemed to send most of the group back into the tense atmosphere, some glancing out of the windows, Beth even going as far as locking the door and checking the windows.

"Do you really think there are wolves around?" She asked from his brother, passing Chris who had peeled off his coat and had slumped before the lit fireplace, head held in his hands yet remaining otherwise silent. "I mean it would be rare, but still possible. I don't think any of us should go out after dark, definitely not by themselves." Beth added leaning her back against the door frame.

Rolling up the legs of his pants, Josh let out another small sigh at Beth's words. "I don't know. It could have just been him trying to scare us off the mountain." He admitted as he ran a damp cloth that Hannah prepared for him over his skinned knees, the warm water washing away the mud and small droplets of blood that had crusted on his knee. "I'll stay up tonight with the rifle and the blanks just in case. If something comes sniffing around I'll shoot. Hopefully it'll be enough to send the message to stay away."

Turning his head, he offered his siblings a soft smile, hoping to reassure them that everything would be okay. "Don't worry alright? I'll take care of things. You two and the others are here to relax and like hell am I letting some weirdo or a bunch of wild fur bags ruin our trip." 

The antiseptic spray brought a wince to his eyes, but otherwise Josh seemed to have drifted off into his own little world as he worked and it wasn't until he had bandaged both his knees up that he spoke once more. "...He's... pretty upset with me isn't he?" Was the question that escaped his lips, his voice soft and troubled, with just a tint of disappointment lingering there.

"He is." Beth replied honestly, lips curling in the tiniest of smiles as she glanced down the hall at the blond man before focusing on Josh again. "I think he doesn't know how to bring out what he's feeling." She sighed, walking over to his brother and took a seat beside him.

"When he heard the others speak that you might be in danger, he was already halfway through the lodge before we even realized he had moved. Jacket, flashlight, everything. He could not care less that he was injured, all he seemed to care about was finding you. I've never seen him so distressed before. You've just realized that your bond is deeper than friendship, Josh. I think he feared he had lost you already."

Josh's expression at that moment was hard to read. Considering the fact that he didn't really know how he felt about Beth's words it made sense. On one hand, he was touched that Chris would so quickly jump into action in order to protect him. On the other, the guilt of having scared the other man so greatly was eating him alive. Then there was the anger. The anger at Chris for forgetting that his usual method of coping in situations that he wasn't comfortable with or able to handle was humor. The blond haired man knew him. He should have known not to take Josh's words for a sign that he was okay.

Because when it came down to it, Josh hadn't been. He hadn't been okay since the moment the strange man scared him near the cabin. His mood had been shot to shit. Replaced by a budding sense of doubt and panic. True, there was no miracle fix Chris could have done to return his mood, but getting angry at him and calling him an asshole hadn't helped in the slightest.

Taking a deep breath Josh lifted his head from where it had fallen to the table during his thoughts, a hand moving to gently pat Hannah's hand, which had come to rest upon his shoulder. "...I'll talk to him later. I... should probably go get changed out of these clothes." Was his soft reply, offering little to either of his siblings in terms of insight into his mind. Slipping from the kitchen chair with a slight cringe, the young man slipped away to his room, leaving his siblings alone in the kitchen.

"...you think we should send Chris up there to talk to him?" Hannah asked after a long moment, her gaze turning towards her sister, concern evident in her eyes. "I know he says he'll talk to him later but..." The unsaid doubt in her voice spoke volumes towards her disbelief of that actually happening.

"No." Beth shook her head, giving her sister a reassuring smile as she watched Chris sit still for a moment before sighing and climbing up the stairs after their brother. "I have a feeling they'll figure things out by themselves."

***

Chris of course knew he should have made sure Josh was alright the moment the brunette returned. But he had been too scared, too relieved to be able to get out anything else than the despair he had felt. His steps were quiet as he walked in Josh's room, not caring less if he was clothed or not.

"You know I'm still recovering from the fear I felt." Chris started, his voice a tad shaky but posture determined. "But I'm glad I got you back in one piece, more or less. I don't apologize for snapping at you, because you scared the blue out of my jeans." He shook his head a bit. "...How badly are you hurt? And don't lie to me, I'll know if you do."

"You and me both bro." Josh answered, equally as mechanically as his earlier movements, eyes refusing to meet Chris' gaze but not leaving either. It was awkward, and frankly all Josh wanted to do was retreat into the bathroom and pretend nobody was home. Still, it wasn't like he could really blame Chris. Not really. It was his fault for coming back and making things seem less serious then they were.

His mouth opened, about to retort that he was fine, but in the end he thought better of it. Chris could probably already see the scabs and the beginning of bruising on his upper body. "Nothing worse then a couple of scrapes and bruises. I'll be fine in the morning. I think the worst is probably going to be the bruise I got from Mike's punch earlier. He hits a lot harder then you would think." Cracking a very weak smile, Josh allowed himself to look at the blond for a brief moment, before his smile fell and he looked away once more.

"...listen... I didn't mean to scare you like that. If I had known how panicked you had been I wouldn't have said what I did. I messed up. I'm sorry."

Chris' shoulders dropped at the apology. There was no way he could remain angry at the brunette, not when he looked like a kicked puppy who could use a hug or two. "Just don't do it again, man. I'd rather not lose you before I even had a chance of finding out if the bone-zone is as good as you make it sound it is." 

Once more, a surge of emotions flooded Josh, leaving him standing there and awkwardly staring at Chris with eyes that were far too muddled with conflicted emotions to be easily readable. Once more a swift surge of anger hit him, boiling in his gut in a way that made him hate himself. Did Chris really not recognize that he had done something wrong back there? Had he really been sincere when he said he had no intentions to apologize? From the teasing tone in the other males voice indicated that was the case. 

The anger was quickly replaced with a feeling that Josh could only really describe as defeated sadness. He should have expected it. Hell, Chris had made it evident from the start he didn't regret lashing out at him, but Josh had hoped, maybe the other would be able to read between the lines and see just how much worse his actions had made Josh's mood. Chris had always been the oblivious type though. It didn't matter whether it was Josh or Ashley he was oblivious too.

Something deep in his mind told him it was still his fault. That Chris wasn't obligated to humor his silly tendencies of hiding behind a forced smile whenever he felt too weak to face his emotions head on. He was being selfish to expect anything from Chris. What he got was charitable enough as it was.

Maybe that's why he said what he did next.

"It would probably be a lot better with Ashley then it would be with me. She doesn't have all the extra baggage to weigh you down afterwards. You wouldn't have had to punch her in the shoulder in order for her to realize she was being a selfish, desperate, prick either." The words fell from his mouth like tar into the ocean, no doubt causing damage to an already very delicate situation. He regretted saying it almost immediately.

Face filled with shock at his own words he quickly tried to cover them up with a very forced laugh, but the way he clenched his fists at his side was a clear indication that he wasn't feeling too happy at the moment. It was times like these that he wished he hadn't taken his medication. Maybe then he would have an excuse for acting this way. Hell, depending on the episode he might not even have felt anything at all.

Maybe it was the medications fault. It did have a tendency of making his moods swing lately. Maybe he should take an extra one to even things out. It couldn't hurt. 

Deep down, he knew that he was just trying to excuse himself for being a shitty, selfish asshole. 

He felt sick. He felt conflicted. He felt tired. Placing a hand over his face he took several deep breaths. "Chris... sorry. That was... that was a shit thing to say. I'm just being stupid and selfish right now. Please... just give me a bit and I'll get over it and then we can just forget it ever happened."

The words cut deeper than anything had in a long time. Not his fear, not his uncertainty had hurt as bad as this moment right now. He knew he had fucked up when he had lashed out at Josh, but he hadn't expected Josh to react this way.

He didn't expect Josh to push him away.

While he knew the brunette did not mean it, and the next words were the proof of that, he could not hide the hurt in his eyes despite his best effort of doing so. The blond could only nod numbly, hand already resting on the door as he swallowed. 

"I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I lashed out because I care, a lot. I'm sorry it turned into this--" he hesitated before shaking his head, giving Josh the tiniest, the most careful smile ever. "See you down then, or something. " He finished quietly, closing the door after him before resting his back against it.

He knew a relationship with Josh would not be an easy one, knew there would be bad days and miscommunications like this. 

The knowledge did not remove the pain though. 

***


	7. Chapter 7

Watching Chris leave was probably the most painful thing to happen to him that night. No amount of punches would ever equal the look of hurt that had flashed through Chris eyes. No amount of scrapes or bruises would amount to that small, very forced smile that Chris had given him as he left the room. 

No amount of physical pain would ever equate to the sheer loneliness that came when he realized that the last thing he had wanted was for Chris to leave.

'What did you expect he would do? Stick around and coddle you like a child?' The voice inside his head sneered at him as he slid to the floor, curling up against the wall and dragging his beanie over his eyes. 'Did you expect him to stay with you? Let you cling to him after such a selfish breakdown? You must be joking. Nobody in their right mind would stick around for someone after they pulled that kind of bullshit.'

But that had been exactly what Josh had wanted. He had wanted Chris to push. To tell him that what he was doing wasn't selfish and that he understood where Josh was coming from. To tell him he was an ass for bringing up Ashley again but that he still liked him anyway. That he would like him regardless of the emotional roller coasters that they were bound to go through should they enter a relationship. 

The meal that Hannah left at his door an hour later went uneaten. He hadn't opened the door for her either.

It wasn't until after the sounds of the others had wavered off as they went off to their respective sleeping chambers did Josh finally pull himself from his room. Sometime between Hannah's arrival with the food and the others heading upstairs he had managed to drag himself into the bathroom long enough to wash himself up and get dressed into clothing that wasn't covered in mud or damp from snow. 

He still the had to protect his friends and his sisters after all. No amount of personal hate would keep him from that. 

Josh kept silent as he walked past the doors leading into the other bedrooms, careful not to wake anyone up, the plate of uneaten food in his hand. While the halls were dark, the glimmer of moonlight was enough for him to walk with, and there was a flashlight downstairs he could use when he went to fetch his father's rifle. 

The kitchen was the first place that Josh found himself heading to, hesitating before the trash as he stood there holding the plate his sister had so kindly brought up to his room for him. A kindness he had all but ignored. Tears welled in his eyes, but he didn't really feel sad. He just felt empty and guilty. He should have eaten the food Hannah had brought for him. She and Beth were probably worried. 

Setting the plate onto the counter, he slid back down to the floor, taking deep breaths as he let the feelings flow through him in waves. The doctors had told him this kind of thing was normal. It still sucked though. Wasn't the medication supposed to stabilize his moods? He'd talk to the doctor once he got back. See if there was something they could do. 

There was no telling how long that Josh sat there, slowly breathing and out, mind shifting through the emotions that flowed through his body in large, crashing waves. The worst of the storm had receded already, but there still seemed to be some lingering doubts and thoughts that kept stirring the waters. It was times like these, when things had begun to dull over, that he would search his brain for happier memories. Things he could use as mental floatation devices to keep himself afloat.

'Chris still likes you. Remember the smile he gave you in the basement? The way it felt to rest your head on his shoulder?' The thought brought a small smile to his lips, the first in several hours that felt real. The memory was still fresh and it was easy to grab hold of that lingering sense of calm that came with it, and while Josh knew he was far from better, he was at least calm enough that he wouldn't be having another breakdown.

That's where Chris found him minutes later, sitting on the kitchen floor with the tiny smile on his lips that did not reach his eyes. Despite Beth's worry, he had refused to go to sleep with the others, insisting on staying awake and remain by Josh's side. She had given him a grateful and understanding look before retiring with her sister.

Slowly his legs carried him over to the brunette, and without another word he sunk down on the floor next to him, dropping his head against Josh's shoulder sighing. 

"....I hate clashing together with you. It hurts me to hurt you, man. And I'm sorry to say this but despite your mood swings mister, I'm here to stay. I knew what I would get myself into, I've known you for years. I acted really badly to this and I'm sorry for that. The past 24-hours have just been crazy"

"I didn't actually want you to leave earlier." Josh finally said after a long moment of silently playing with Chris' hair. "Sometimes, I push when I really want to pull. I just... I'm messed up." He lingered there for a second, contemplative, before continuing. "I probably will always be messed up. I've accepted that. But... I'll get better at conveying what I'm feeling one day. Probably not any day soon, because I'm also kind of an asshole, but someday. So until then... just be patient with me okay?" 

Allowing his hand to pull away from Chris' hair he gently turned the younger man to face him, before moving forward and resting his forehead softly against that of the blond, ever mindful to the injury that he had suffered. Closing his eyes, he rested like that for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of being so close, the way Chris cheek felt in his palm and the coolness of the other man's glasses resting oh so awkwardly against his face. "...and... just keep reminding me that even though I'm a hot mess, I'm your hot mess and you still care about me. Give me that and I... hell I don't know. Whatever you want that I could give you would be yours."

Letting out a small chuckle, Josh felt the emptiness recede just a bit, replaced by that soft glimmering warmth that made life bearable. "...I'm starting to sound like something right out of a soap opera." Opening his eyes once more, he watched Chris, his lips pressed into a slowly forming smile.

For the second time that day Josh found himself presented with an opportunity to kiss his best friend. And, for the second time that day, he found that it just didn't happen. The chance may have been there, the feeling as well, but the timing was wrong. They had just been in a fight that had left Josh in an emotional funk for several hours. Frankly, Josh wouldn't kiss himself either.

"You probably figured it out already, but I'm staying up the night with you. Not letting you sit here all alone." Chris murmured, looking just a tad more flustered than usually.

"You don't have to. You said it yourself, today has been crazy. Not to mention your head is still not in the best shape." Despite his protests, the fact he appreciated Chris' insistence to stick with him was clearly evident in his tone of voice.

As if struck by a sense stick, Josh realized that it had been nearly the whole day since they had checked on Chris' head wound. A feeling of guilt once more flashed through him as the realization that he had been too caught up in his own issues to remember Chris was injured flashed through his brain. Turning to look at the blond for a second, Josh came to a decision and slowly lifted himself up from where he was sitting on the floor.

"Let's move to the couch and take a look at you. The floor is cold as Emily's black heart and my ass is starting to tingle in the not good way." Holding out his hand for his companion, Josh offered his friend a wink as he waited for the other man to accept his help up. Chris looked up surprised before a smile spread on his lips and he clasped their hands together, allowing himself to be helped up. The tension was still there, but it was more bearable now, one that he knew would disappear within the next couple of hours as long as they would spend time together.

Neither one of them were much into talking about their feelings, so actions spoke for them most of the time. This was one of those times.

"Well my head has not ached as much for the past hours, so that's good at least." Chris stated refusing to let go of Josh's hand even if he was standing now, and instead linked their fingers together as an anchor for the brunette before tugging him towards the living room and the couch.

Barely having time to grab hold of the medical kit that had been sitting innocently on the kitchen counter since Hannah had left it there after Josh's departure earlier, the tan skinned youth allowed himself to be dragged through the building by the very, very slightly smaller male. Chris didn't need to hold his hand, and he certainly didn't need to link their fingers together, but the fact he did left Josh feeling just a little bit winded and just a tad bit happier then before. Not giddy, like he would have been had his mood not still been in that weird state of limbo, but certainly more positive then before.

Allowing his steps to quicken, Josh switched their position so that instead of Chris leading him it was the other way around by the time they had reached the sofa. The room was just as dark as he had been before, with just the slivers of moonlight and stars shining in from the windows upstairs to give them any light. It was strangely peaceful, much more so then it had been the night before, when everyone was still frantically worried about Chris' health and Hannah's emotional state.

"Wait a second okay? As romantic as sitting here with you in the starlight is, I'm no owl. I need more then just moonlight in order to see what I'm doing." For a second, his fingers remained twined in Chris' even after he had spoken, before ultimately he pulled them free to search for a light source that wouldn't immediately wake up everyone in the building. Thankfully, there was a lamp directly behind them that was just bright enough to let him see but not intrusive enough to reach the bedrooms.

Returning back around the couch, Josh allowed himself to flop down upon the soft cushions, his legs spread apart and his hand moving to pat the area between them. "Rest that big, pretty head of yours right here, Cochise. Doctor Josh is about to give you some T-L-C."

"You know, if you wanted me between your legs all you had to do was ask." Chris commented teasingly as he closed the distance between them and slid on the floor between the spread legs. He kept his head ducked down, hoping it would hide how flustered he felt at the moment before resting his head against Josh's thigh.

It felt warm, comforting to be able to be so close to his friend without any barriers or secrets between them. Their feelings were out there, kind of. Maybe not spoken out loud, but it was clear with the way they acted around each other.

Lips curling in a grin, Josh couldn't help but lean forward a little bit, lips so close to Chris' ears that the other would be able to feel his breath as he spoke. "Oh, don't you know? I'm always wanting and willing to go spread eagle for you, babe." Unable to help himself, he teasingly blew a breath of hot air against the nape of Chris' neck before pulling back.

Falling silent as his fingers began to unwind the old bandages upon his friends head, Josh could feel the warmth of his own cheeks at the intimate closeness of their position. His teasing words had hid his how flustered he himself was and he was thankful that Chris could neither see his face or feel his racing heart beat. The blond may not have been as bold as Josh in regards to his commentary, but he still was able to dish out a couple of good ones every now and then that would linger in the older man's mind for hours.

The wound looked a lot better then it had that morning. The redness was gone, and when he felt the skin there was no additional heat, meaning that the risk of infection had been avoided. While there were a few tiny splotches of dried blood on the bandage, there was considerably less this time around as well and none of it seemed to have latched onto the other man's hair, which was also good. So long as there were no complications in the next couple of hours Chris should be allowed to go out with the others tomorrow, granted that he didn't do anything to extreme. 

The antiseptic spray probably still stung when he dabbed it over the other's skin with a ball of cotton, but there was little he could do about that save for softly rubbing Chris' shoulder with his free hand while he worked. Bandaging Chris up took no time, the position they were in making it easy for Josh to roll the bandage around the blonds head in a single smooth gesture. All in all, the whole process couldn't have taken more then ten minutes at best. Which left them with a whole night with nothing to do but sit there and enjoy each other's company. 

He could have dismissed Chris at that point. He had finished what he needed to do after all. But Josh didn't want the younger man to move just yet. The position was a comfortable one and offered the oldest of the Washington children complete access to the blonds head, neck and shoulder. 

A surge of possessiveness shot through Josh as he remember Ashley's lingering touch from earlier that day. While he once more reminded himself that there was no point of being jealous of a girl who no longer held Chris' interest he still couldn't help the almost animalistic urge to wipe away her 'touch' on the younger man's skin and replace it with his own. Hopefully, Chris didn't notice his sudden tenseness over the issue.

Josh's fingers were soft and gentle as the moved to slowly rest upon his best friend's shoulder, the pads of his fingertips working into the muscles there for a long couple of moments before moving upwards. Thumbs pressed softly over the center line of the other man's neck, moving in slow outward circles as they shifted up and up until ultimately coming to the base of the other man's skull. He had no idea what he was doing, but he sincerely hoped that it felt good for Chris. It would be weird as hell if it didn't. 

The touch shifted away from a massage to more simple petting, the older man's long digits splaying out over the strands of blond hair near the man's ears, right below the bandages and right above where the metal frame of Chris' classes ducked behind his ears. Unable to help himself, he reached to gently pulled the accessory away, setting them down beside the medical case before moving to return to his exploration of the other man's scalp.

To say Chris melted would be an understatement. His body slumped against Josh's legs, lips parted in a tiny gasp as a shiver of pleasure ran down his spine. It had been a while since someone had played with his hair, and the light touches now felt more than heavenly. "Man, you should study to be a masseur or something. Your hands feel amazing."

"I don't know, Chris. I think you might end up wanting to keep my magic fingers all to yourself. Especially after you've tried my full-body massage. Seeing as your a unique case I'd even be willing to give you a discount on my 'deep-tissue' special." Wiggling his eyebrows down at the younger man despite the fact that the other probably couldn't see the gesture, Josh let out a small laugh.

Once more he feel silent, his finger's continuing to softly run through the blond strands of hair as he let out a soft noise as he came to run his fingers over the spot that Ashley had earlier that morning. The touch grew just a bit more rough, a part of the older man still wanting to some how rub her scent off his friend, before he realized what he was doing and relaxed. "People would pay big money for hair that's as soft as yours. Let me guess, you use L'Oréal? Because let me say, you are definitely worth it." 

That had been stupid even by his own standards of bad jokes, but still he couldn't help but let out a small snort at it. "For real though man, I could play with it all night."

"Well nothing's stopping you for spending your night like this. I certainly won't complain." Chris chuckled closing his eyes, a pleased groan slipping past his lips as the fingers continued to massage his scalp.

"As much as I would love that, the floor is cold and uncomfortable, and this isn't exactly the way I wanted to make your ass sore in the morning." Despite his words, he didn't really do anything to get Chris to move, nor did his fingers stop in their soft ministrations. Eventually, curious about how the other male might react, Josh allowed himself to grow a bit more bold in his touch. With the pad of one of his thumbs, he very slowly ran it over the outer shell of his friends ear, testing to see if the reaction was a favorable one. The angle however, was an odd one, and Josh found himself debating pulling Chris up to join him on the couch.

Chancing a glance at his watch, Josh let out another small chuckle as he took in the time. "You sir, are in the clear. Just remember that the next time you tumble with a Washington that you use proper protection."

"What if I end up loving taking it bare?" Chris asked innocently, drawing his lower lip between his teeth at the mere thought he should definitely not have right now.

The older man's fingers stilled at his best friends comment. Maybe it was the situation. Maybe it was just the words themselves. Or maybe, it was the fact that Chris had just forgone the double meaning entirely to dish out an very provocative statement. Either way it was more then enough to send a rather vivid mental image through Josh's mind.

His mouth felt dry as he tried to figure out a clever response. Instead he only managed to find his mind lingering on the idea of fucking Chris bare. While Josh was not the virginal innocent that Chris was — or at least made himself out to be because honestly the blond was far more secretive about those kinds of things then Josh was and if he had lost his virginity at some point Josh would have completely seen it in the other male's character not to brag about it — even he had not experienced raw, bare sex. That may have had more to do with the fact that all the people Josh had actually taken the full trip to the bone-zone with were female, but that was the beside the point. The point was he had absolutely nothing to say in response to Chris' words.

Other than a very softly mumbled, "Holy shit dude..."

Heat rose on Chris' cheek at the reaction, or rather, the lack of it. It was rare for Josh to remain quiet or have no response to a situation or a joke, and that alone told just how big of an impact his words were. Truthfully he was not sure where the words had come from, perhaps he had spent a bit too long in Josh's company but now that he had the other in this state for once, he would use that as his advance.

"So the tables have turned." Chris taunted teasingly, tilting his head back against Josh's hand. "Does the thought please you, _Joshua_?" He grinned, voice dropping a tad lower. "Or perhaps it's something you wish to feel for yourself."

The suggestion immediately sent his mind into overdrive as the two scenes played out parallel in his mind. Josh honestly would not have been able to say which he preferred, both were hot enough to make his blood boil in the best of way. 

His dark eyes finally managed to lock onto Chris own blue, the absence of the other man's glasses just making the closeness all the more real. His tongue darted out over his own lips, which felt far drier then they actually were. Words finally came to him, but when they tumbled from his mouth they were a far cry from his usual playful and teasing pun.

"Chris... I'd give you me in anyway you wanted and love every damn second of it."

"Jeez bro, you're really a big softie, aren't you?" Chris asked softly, placing his own hand on top of Josh's which still rested on his shoulder. "You have me as I have you... and I'd rather have you many, many times." Chris replied cheekily, winking at the older man before laughing sheepishly. "Sorry man, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. Maybe the hit damaged my brains after all."

The fantasies shattered as Chris' words finally reached his brain, the glazed look in Josh's eyes leaving as his lips curl into a soft, but certainly noticeable grin. "What can I say, I'm a man who has a lot of love to give." Shifting his hand a little bit, he moved to awkwardly twine their fingers together as he sat there looking down at the other man. His gaze soft, a glimmer in his eyes showing that his emotional numb from earlier was giving way once more for the more vibrant, happy feelings he usually tried to express.

Slowly, he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of the other man's nose in a playful, affectionate gesture that he had done a million times to Beth and Hannah. This was different though. It lingered longer, felt more intimate, and even though there were things he could say to Chris in response to the other's earlier words he instead feel silent. Contemplative even. 

"Dude... can I... is it all right if I pull a Spiderman on you right now?"

Unable to find his words Chris could only nod, fingers twitching on Josh's hand ever so slightly. The position was a bit awkward for his neck, he could already feel the kinks forming but curiosity felt stronger than any physical pain right now. Josh was warm and close like this, and he would not move unless pushed away.

A sudden burst of nerves set butterflies alight in his stomach. Suddenly, without any real warning, he felt as if his palms had begun to sweat in profuse amounts. The world around them faded away to nothing but a dark blur. In his head, Shia LaBeouf screamed out motivation bullshit while looking simultaneously looking both angry and constipated at the same time. 'Just Do It,' ran like a mantra in his head. 

Chris had give him the okay, so now all he had to do was lean in and close that last bit of distance and it was the most terrifying and exhilarating moment of his life. He just hoped the other man wouldn't regret it once it was over.

Slowly, he tilted his face so that is lie parallel with that of his best friends. In a normal situation he would be watching Chris' eyes, but not from this angle. No, instead of his eyes Josh watched the blonds lips instead. Lips he had watched slowly wrap around a pen or the tips of the other man's glasses when Chris lost himself in thought, leading to many a cancelled study session due to excuses of medication induced migraines. Lips that had been the center of many a late night fantasy and even a fair share of classroom fantasies as well. Lips that were so perfectly kissable at that moment that it made him breathless.

The kiss was every bit as awkward as one would expect it to be given their position. The uncomfortable way he had to angle his chin so as not to bump it into Chris' face was hardly pleasant. Additionally, he really couldn't get a good angle with which to gain any traction, resulting it an strange and sloppy sliding of lips against lips. The mismatched way their jaws were situated also made deepening the kiss all but impossible.

There weren't any fireworks, but the eldest of the Washington children had never been naïve enough to believe there would be. Instead, he was merely filled with a deep, calming contentedness. His eyes slide shut as he just softly brushed their lips together in a gentle meeting of flesh. While a bit on the chapped side, Chris lips were soft and pliant against his own. A lingering taste of the evening meal and just 'Chris' was present that made his lips curl into the softest of smiles. 

If asked, Josh probably would have said it was the best kiss he ever had in his life.

He didn't linger too long with it. Chris' neck was most likely straining just as uncomfortably as his own and Josh hadn't exactly gone in there with his lungs filled with air. Pulling back, head still dipped over that of his friends, he let out the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding, before letting out a very soft chuckle. "Tobey Maguire made that look so much easier than it actually was."

Still reeling from the sudden light kiss, Chris could only gape at his friend, breathing in shakily. His lips still tingled pleasantly, a reminder of just how chaste and perhaps a tad awkward their kiss had been. From what he could see, Josh felt as wrecked as he did.

Kissing your childhood best friend should definitely feel weird, and it should not make him feel hunger for more.

Without another word Chris twisted himself around, bracing his knees underneath him before leaning up, fingers sinking through Josh's dark hair as he studied the expression on his friend's face before pressing their lips back together.

This time there were no awkward angles to cause either of them pain, this time their lips slot together in a perfect way that actually had Chris tremble slightly from adrenaline and nerves as he moved their lips together lightly, searchingly. It felt as if his heart was trying to beat out of his chest, eyelids fluttering shut as another layer of redness dusted over his cheeks.

He wanted to drown against Josh's lips, as cheesy as it sounded like. The brunette's lips were soft even if a bit chapped from the cold, and the feeling of fingers sliding up his neck only to cup his face ever so tenderly had his heart swelling in affection. The urge to deepen the kiss, to yield for his friend was overwhelming, every instinct in his body screaming for him to just let Josh take over in more ways than one.

Eventually Chris broke the kiss but remained close, panting softly against Josh's lips. Words failed him, mouth opening and closing couple of times before he gave up and clung on Josh's arm instead, smiling nearly goofily.

The expression on Josh's face was one of complete bliss. His dark lashes rested softly against very lightly flushed cheeks, mouth parted in a small 'o' shape as he took in deep, slow breaths of hair. The fingers clenching Chris' shirt alternated their grip in a slow rhythmic fashion.

When he finally did open his eyes after what felt like an eternity, he was met with an equally blown away Chris who was sporting the stupidest, goofiest grin Josh had ever seen on his face. A grin that was impossible not to smile back at as he let out a breathless chuckle, forehead coming to rest softly against the blonde's. 

"...how long...? More importantly... how...?"

The words came out in a soft, curious whisper, Josh's eyes searching Chris' for some kind of hint as to how long the other had waited for this moment. It wasn't that Josh expected anything overly majestic in Chris' answer. He just wanted to know what had been the moment when the blond had realized that there could be something more between them. That he wanted something more between them. Perhaps it was stupid, but he needed to know. Desperately.

Before responding Chris stood up, moving himself on the couch beside Josh before dropping his head on the brunette's shoulder. The floor had started to feel a tad too uncomfortable against his knees.

"I think it was the summer vacation around seventh grade." Chris replied smiling a bit at the memory. They had spent most of the day hanging out with a bunch of other kids in the local park, playing baseball and swimming in a lake they really had no business swimming in. Still pumped and far to energetic to be let inside, Josh's had easily been able to convince his parents that he and Chris would be perfectly fine sleeping under the stars. 

A decision they had regretted the next morning when they had been covered head to toe in bug bites, but at the time had seemed like such a great idea. 

Josh's families estate was massive after all, with a backyard that had seemed to go on for miles. The sheer amount of property between them and the rest of the town had always made the stars so much brighter. 

"We were sitting around the campfire we had built on your backyard, and you were exclaiming your victory in baseball against your sisters. Your voice was so happy, man. Like I shit you not, there was joy in your eyes and you were smiling so widely I thought your lips would split soon." Chris chuckled a bit, tongue flickering out to lick his dry lips.

"I could only stare at you, and caught myself thinking how gorgeous I found you to be and it quickly transformed into 'oh crap' in shock. After that, I kind of caught myself looking at you differently, thinking differently. Scared the crap out of me."

Biting his lip as he thought back to the happy memory, Josh pulled Chris in just a bit closer as he let out a small laugh. "I've got you beat then." As if predicting the further questioning, Josh allowed himself to continue on. "Remember the day I gave you the Cochise nickname?"

It was a hard day to forget. It had been the fourth day in a row that their sixth grade class had been stuck with a rather unsavory substitute teacher, their usual teacher who the class was all rather fond of having taken the week off after her mother had passed away. Four days of listening to a racist, sexist prick who had absolutely no respect for the subject he was teaching. Frankly, Josh still didn't understand how this guy managed to get a job so far up north. 

The man had been mercilessly picking on a rather shy girl in their class, repeatedly demanding that she speak louder, the anxiety of it all causing her to clam up. This only made the man more determined to cause her as much emotional trauma as possible. It had been sickening, and so frustrating for them to watch.

Chris had shocked them all when he had finally stood up from his seat and rather blatantly told the man that he was to quote 'a massive piece of shit for bullying one of his own students'. Josh had never seen him so livid and so damn in charge. He had immediately joined in, stating a couple of colorful remarks of his own, as the group of children slowly grew into a downright rebellion against the teacher. 

The pair of them had ultimately ended up having to meet with the principle, but by then Josh had given Chris the nickname Cochise, after the Native American chieftain who had led a rebellion against the government, a subject that had been fresh on his mind after watching a documentary on it a few days earlier. Chris had been so confused by it at first, but the way he smile when Josh explained it had been incredible. 

"It was after everything was over. We were sitting in front of the principles office, waiting for our parents to arrive. I remember meeting your gaze and just cracking up over the whole situation, being giddy out of our minds. I mean, we had just gone revolutionary on our substitute teacher." Letting out a shaky laugh, Josh ran a hand through his own dark, curly hair as he stared out at nothing in particular, his eyes locked onto the scene from their childhood. 

"You... you thanked me for sticking with you, I think. I don't really remember your exact words because I was too high on adrenaline and the sheer shock of what we had just done. But that was the general gist. And I just... I remember turning to look at you... and just realizing that I never wanted to have a moment where I wasn't there with you." Unaware of the fact that his cheeks had taken on a full on blush, Josh chanced a glance at the younger man. "The physical stuff... I think it was always there to be honest. Even the first day we met I remember thinking... oh, he's got a really cute face. I didn't really equate it to anything until that moment though."

"Well someone had to do something." Chris replied smiling sheepishly, turning to look at the brunette and with amusement realized the other was blushing rather deeply from his confession.

"...I got so scared after I realized what it was that I felt." He admitted. "I feared you would find out and hate me, leave me alone. Eventually I got to know Ashley, and it was kind of easy to focus on her in hopes I'd forget what I really felt. With time, I crushed on her for real... even if it was a passing thing."

In a slow, deliberate gesture, Josh moved the hand that had been softly stroking Chris arm down, fingers coming to rest softly atop the younger man's hand. "I feel like an ass. Like a complete and utter fool. We spent forever just being scared for our own different reasons, distracting ourselves with so much bullshit. If you hadn't told me that you were pansexual then I probably never would have thought to even try. No... if I hadn't gone to my sisters about the fact you were pansexual and no longer into Ashley, THEN I would have never tried." 

Stupid is as stupid does, and boy had they both been stupid. 

"It feels like the plot of a really cliché romantic movie." He said with a small snort, lips curling into a weak smile. His eyes turned towards the other man's face, watching him with a patient, relaxed look. "I'm kind of glad it was cliché though. Because that means we can get a happy ending."

Chris replied to the smile with one of his own, fingers spreading a bit so that Josh's own could sip between them before giving it a small squeeze. "And all this time, I thought rom-coms were a waste of time." He sighed dramatically, the edges of his lips curling in a teasing smile. "Perhaps this will prove me wrong."

He relished on the silence that followed as he took in Josh's earlier words, running them in his head before realzsing something and turned to look at the other thoughtfully. "You told your sisters about me?" While he knew Hannah and Beth would not shoot him for dating their brother, he had thought the twins would be more... reluctant to let him do that. Mostly because they were so protective. 

"How did they take the news?"

"They wanted to smack me for not noticing it all sooner." Was the quick and easy response from the older male. Taking full advantage of the invitation, Josh had immediately slipped his fingers between that of his best friend turned something more. It felt so right doing it. Like their fingers had been made to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. A fact that the tanned youth found rather amusing in just how predictably sappy it was.

"Apparently, if my sisters can be trusted, which they usually can be in this kind of thing, they've known about our interest in one another from essentially the very start. Or at least from near the beginning." As if sensing that he hadn't exactly given Chris the answer he wanted, Josh continued on, cheeks tinting red once more even though his lips were curled into a modest smile. "They approve of you of course. I mean, how could they not? You've seen the worst of me and stuck around regardless." 

There were other reasons why Josh suspected his siblings were fine with his interest in Chris, but that was probably the most forthright. Chris knew Josh. He knew his moods, his struggles and his issues. Chris also knew the other parts of Josh, the nicer, more uplifting parts. His favorite movies, songs and games. What Josh's dreams were. Josh shared everything with Chris and Chris took it all in stride, the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful.

The hand holding Chris' gave a soft squeeze and Josh shifted a bit so that he could pull the other man closer. "Sorry. That I told them about your sexuality. I know that was kind of a dick move but I wasn't really thinking about it until after I told them."

"It's fine." Chris assured nudging his nose against Josh's throat, inhaling deeply and felt his body go lax from the thought that he truly was allowed to do this now. "I'm also not too surprised to hear that they knew. They've always been a tad too observant for their own good."

"They weren't the only ones who noticed." Josh added softly. "The girls were under the impression that the only people who didn't know about us was, well, us. Which is probably even more cliché then the whole pining thing."

Chris frowned a bit at the information, meeting the gentle touch of Josh's fingers with his own, relishing on the contact. "But if that's true, then how come Ashley still shows her interest in a rather non-platonic way?" He asked confused, gaze fixed on the view behind the window. The touch, the smile and the words... it was obvious even for him that she wished they were a thing. If she knew about him and Josh, then why would she continue to act like that?

The blond sighed, allowing his eyes to close. "I said it before and I say it again, girls are confusing."

"I guess she thought that maybe she could still have a chance if she was persistent enough. As much as we were into one another we weren't actually a thing and like you said, you DID have a crush on her." It felt weird, having to come up with a potential reasoning for a woman who had essentially been his love rival. 

"It didn't hurt her chances that I was rather openly pushing you together every chance I got." Josh added after a moment of hesitation. "I don't think she realized why, but I think she must have at least known that I hadn't been intending to act. I... kind of feel bad about that. She's a nice girl and she deserved better then being caught up in our bullshit. I'll have to figure out a way to make it up to her when the dust has settled." 

Lips curling into a grin, Josh offered Chris a wink. "Maybe we can invite her over for a ménage à trois sometime."

"I'm not quite sure what you mean, but if you even dare to mention a threesome, you're spending our first night together alone on the couch." Chris threatened barely able to keep himself from laughing.

"You didn't spend much time listening in French huh? Too busy dreaming about what it would be like to hold my hand?" Letting out a laugh, Josh couldn't help but be a bit relieved to hear that Chris wanted no part in Ashley, be it sexually or romantically. He'd find another way to apologize to her for making her think otherwise. Something that didn't involve letting her into their eventually shared bedroom.

Chris turned an amused look at his friend, slipping his fingers free from the hold mourning quietly at the loss of contact. "We had an actual job to do tonight, didn't we? Can't get too lost in each other."

The noise that he made when Chris pulled away to alert him to the real reason behind why they were downstairs was downright childish. A good mixture of a whine and a groan that would have done his eight year old self proud. Even so, he knew that Chris was right. He had to make sure the house was secure and check to see if there were indeed any wolves lingering around. Still, the idea of stepping outside during the pitch black of night wasn't exactly something he was looking forward too. 

And it certainty wasn't something he was going to let Chris join him on. 

"Correction. I have a job that I need to do tonight. You are just here to serve as a rather tasty distraction to my otherwise hectic nerves and keep me from falling asleep. Which you have been doing a wonderful job at by the way." Pulling himself up from his seat, Josh allowed his arms to slide up in a stretching motion, a yawn escaping his lip. He had no idea what time it was, or even how long they had been sitting there. For all he knew, dawn was nearly there and they had spent the whole night cuddled up and talking about their feelings.

"Stay here for a bit alright? I have to grab a gun from downstairs." Snatching hold of the flashlight Chris had abandoned earlier that day, Josh paused to turn towards Chris once he had reached the steps down. "You stay. I go. No following." He said, lowering his voice and adding a robotic tint to it, shaking his finger in a 'no no' gesture before raising his arms and making a 'whoosh' noise. He hoped that his friend would get the reference but it had been a long time since they had seen that particular movie. 

It might have been more appropriate if he had been ascending the steps and no going down them.

Iron Giant. His goof of a friend had just quoted Iron Giant on him. The realization prompted a snort from the blond, and he shook his head amused as he watched Josh go hunt for the rifle. 

"...Better get a happier ending than the robot did."


	8. Chapter 8

Locating his father's rifle wasn't hard, though the blanks proved trickier than he had expected. He knew they had them, it wasn't like they really used them all that often after all. The search for them lasted much longer then he cared to admit and ultimately he found himself coming to stand in a storage room near the back of the house, one he recognized by the large windows that could be opened from either side in case of an emergency need to get in or out. Shuffling about with just the flashlight in hand he found himself grumbling as he finally landed sight of them on top of one of the shelves near the windows.

"Damn. Why the hell did he think it was a good idea to keep this all the way down here?" Shaking his head and letting out a soft sigh he flicked off his flashlight and stowed it away in his pocket, only to suddenly feel a cold sense of dread shoot up his spine. It was the kind of sensation that came when you were being watched by something and Josh slowly found his eyes drifting towards the window. 

What he saw there nearly made him scream. 

It was hard to make it out in the darkness but something was watching him from the other side. Something tall and human-like and definitely not a wolf. Swallowing thickly he found himself debating the pros and cons of reaching for the rifle, only to remember that it had no bullets in it. For all intents and purposes he was staring at what was probably death in the form of some hell demon. A large, clawed hand pressed against the window panel and Josh could hear the wood creaking as an obscene amount of strength pushed at it.

The sound of growling hit his ears just as he was about to bolt and whatever it was on the other side turned away from him and towards the source of the growling. It took him a moment to realize that it was wolves, most likely those who were part of the mountain hobos posse. The animals seemed to be protecting the house from whatever it was that was trying to get in and for a moment Josh thought maybe this thing was what the man was trying to warn him about. 

Before he could realize what was happening the creature had moved from the window and the sound of fighting could be heard outside. Taking advantage of the distraction he ducked behind one of the shelves, pushing blanks into the barrel of his father's rifle faster than he ever had before. If the wolves couldn't keep that thing away then this was all he had. 

The fighting continued on for a while, the creature occasionally letting out a sharp cry that nearly shattered his ears and had Josh thankful that the area upstairs Chris was sitting in had some serious sound deafening padding in the walls. The last thing he wanted was the blond going out to investigate. 

It was as he was stealing himself to bolt once more that he noticed the sounds had begun to wane, the creature and the wolves sounded farther off then before. Turning his head towards the window he caught sight of something bright red in the far distance that he quickly realized was fire and the cry of the beast he had seen hit his ears one last time. Whatever it was, he was pretty sure the mountain hobo warrior had gotten to it and a surge of relief hit Josh in massive waves. 

They were safe from whatever it was. For now. He would need to speak to the stranger from the mountains again to be sure. 

He made sure to grab the actual rounds and moved towards the window to check just in case. 

The window opened without too much difficulty, though he did note how the wood had begun to crack in several places. The cold burst of night air hit him like a blast to the face when he peaked out, eyes turned towards the area where he had seen the fire earlier. He couldn't make it out very well but he was pretty sure he could see the man from before doing something with a bunch of chains or rope. No doubt tying whatever that thing was up.

Satisfied that whatever it was had been dealt with Josh allowed the panic and fear to ease away as he closed and locked the window once more. With a rifle filled with actual bullets and the knowledge that for now whatever it was had been taken care of he moved his way back upstairs. 

When he returned to Chris his face was pale and he no doubt gave off a very unsettled vibe, yet he still offered the other man a smile. "I think the mountain hobo may have beaten me to the punch. Remind me to leave him a fruit basket at the door to his tree." 

"You sure a man like him eats fruits though?" Chris asked walking over to Josh, bumping their shoulders together in a comforting manner. "Besides, the sun is rising soon. We survived until dawn."

Leaning into Chris' touch on instinct, Josh let out another small yawn before offering the other man a chipper grin. At the mention of the soon to be rising sun, Josh allowed his gaze to drift up towards the windows on the second floor. Indeed, the world outside seemed to be showing signs of lighting up, and while it may not have been the smartest of idea, the urge to take Chris' hand and sit outside to watch the sunset was too large to ignore.

So he did just that. 

Taking Chris hand in his own, while taking the rifle with the other, he gently led him towards the door with a soft smile on his face. With their fingers twined together, the fear from earlier vanished, instead filling him with a giddiness that was eighty percent Chris related and twenty percent lack of sleep. He was so giddy, that he opted to set the rifle down by the door instead of let go of the other man's hand. 

The world outside was ice cold, but in a way that made one feel alive and refreshed as opposed to bitter and miserable. The snow on the ground was fresh and Josh could indeed make out tracks on the ground near the door. Paw prints and something a bit more human like, though the latter seemed to have been mostly covered up by the former, as if the animals had actually gone out of their way to cover up the other tracks. Strange. 

"Remember the first time we took you up here with us? How we snuck out with my sisters to watch the sunrise?" Was the question he asked as he pulled Chris out onto the porch, pulling him so that the blond stood in front of him, Josh's arms wrapped around his middle and the older man's head on his shoulder.

A wide smile spread on Chris' lips at the memory. Bob and Melinda had been fast asleep, and had specifically told them to not leave the lodge before the sun was up and on of the adults were awake. Of course they had ended up staying up all night playing board games and drinking soda, laughter escaping their lips that one of them were quick to shush in fear the adults would wake up.

Around 5am, they had taken him to the windows and to his shock pushed it open, telling him to jump down. At first he had thought Beth had been joking, but he watched both twins jump down onto the soft pile of snow underneath the window, quiet giggles breaking the silence. He had obviously hesitated too much, because Josh had taken his hand and told him they would jump together.

So they did, only to emerge from the pile of snow laughing, hands pushing against each other's mouths to get the other stay silent. 

Obviously it didn't work.

They had stuck close to the lodge upon one of the smaller hills, and watched the sun rise from beneath the trees... quite like right now.

Chris rested his weight against Josh's, hands resting on top of his friend's arm as he dropped his head against the brunette's. "No sneaking around this time." He muttered softly, feeling strangely elated despite the cold. Josh was warm and solid against him, chasing the chills away and Chris breathed out, watching his breath fog and play in the air before disappearing.

"No. No sneaking. Just you and me and the world before the sun." Josh responded softly, the words causing puffs of fog that joined with that of the younger male as they stood there together. Somewhere down the road, he could make out a doe, her cloven foot digging at the snow in search of some remnants of grass underneath. A couple of non-migratory birds chirped their morning songs overhead. 

As if spurred on by their tune, Josh began to hum softly the tune of a song he had been hearing on the radio. For a little while that was all he did, before ultimately he opened his mouth once more, knowing that his own horrible singing might break the moment, but his mood too strangely vibrant that he couldn't be concerned. 

"Everything looks different now~. All the time my head was down~. He came along and showed me how to let go-oh-oh~." Pulling away, Josh carefully moved them both so that he was standing before the younger male, his finger's clasping onto Chris as he slowly swayed to the beat of the song he was singing. 

"I can't remember where I'm from, all I know is who I've become~. That our love has just begun like ohhh~." Once more his face moved in closer, forehead pressed to Chris', their eyes locked as Josh led them in a slow, gentle sway on the porch of his parents mountain lodge. His lips were curled into the softest, most affectionate smile he could muster, his dark eyes locked with Chris blue ones, which looked so much bluer at that moment then they ever had before. 

It was so incredibly cheesy that Chris feared his cheeks would ache for hours with how widely he was smiling. While Josh's voice might not have been entirely in tune, the words and the fact that Josh was singing for _him_ made up for the lack of talent.

He found his body moving ever so slightly with Josh's lead, arms sliding around the taller man's neck. The moment was perfect, as if it was stolen from a movie. Despite knowing Josh for years, the brunette was able to surprise him over and over again.

Letting out another hum Josh carried on, cheeks flushing softly as his eyes darted down in a small act of modesty. "Something happens when I hold him~." The words came out softer now, but the feeling was still there. "He keeps my heart from getting broken~." A soft breath accompanied by a gentle brush, of lips against the other man's cheeks. "When the days get short and the nights get a little bit frozen~. We hold each other." A hand moves up, cupping the blond man's cheek and Josh opens eyes he hadn't even known he had closed. "We hold each other." He leans forward, lips ghosting against Chris. "We hold each other~... mhmm...~" 

Closing the distance between them, Josh found himself lost in the moment, his eyes fluttering close, the chilly morning wind rustling the dark curls upon his head. Yet he felt warm, standing there and kissing his best friend. Warmer then he had ever felt in his life.

Responding to the kiss more than eagerly, Chris' eyelids fluttered shut and he leaned up into it, fingers massaging the nape of Josh's neck. "You're so cheesy. It's adorable." He chuckled breathlessly against the brunette's lips.

The small moan that escaped his lips when Chris began to rub the back of his neck was unavoidable, as were the shivers that the action brought, but Josh did his best to play it off the best he could. Pressing another chaste kiss to Chris' lips, he let out a soft laugh. "It's the curse of those who spend far too much time watching movies with their sisters I'm afraid."

***

From the window that she was watching the pair from, Hannah let out a small huff as she very quietly closed it. "As if he did have a hand in picking those movies. He loves Princess Bride and Moulin Rouge just as much as we do." Leaning against the wall, the young woman allowed herself to smile softly regardless of her words, his gaze locked on the forms of her sibling and his best friend. 

She was so proud of Josh. He had spent so long feeling scared about showing his feelings for Chris that finally seeing him standing there with the object of his long lasting affections in his arms made her own failure of a crush so much easier to handle. Sure, she was still upset at the knowledge that Mike would never be able to see her the way she saw him, but Hannah was a romantic at heart. She could live vicariously through her brother for the time being, enjoying the love Josh shared with Chris in that way only a sister could.

"Well, it seems like one of them finally took that leap of faith." Beth commented walking up behind her sister, resting a hand on Hannah's shoulder before peering out of the window at the new couple. From what she could see, Chris was laughing at something Josh had said, both of their arms wrapped tightly around each other before the blond leaned up for another kiss. 

Hannah let out a soft laugh as she watched the two young men, nodding her head in agreement to her younger sister's words. Taking a slight step aside, she let Beth have a chance to watch the scene playing out in front of them. "Probably Josh. He was so excited yesterday when he found out he had a chance. Well that and Chris is kind of shit when it comes to taking the initiative." In truth, it didn't really matter who had taken the first step. All that mattered was the fact that Josh's smile was genuine.

It was sickeningly adorable.

"We're never going to get them apart from each other anymore." Beth bemoaned shaking her head amused, even if she was happy for her brother and friend. "And we're so kicking them to the guest cabin. I'd rather not accidentally hear something that would scar me for life."

She had been worried for him yesterday. Between the run in with the 'mountain hobo' and the fight he had with Chris, she had honestly expected his mood to be shot for the rest of the trip. Yet in a matter of a couple of hours he had gone from holing himself up in his room to smiling brightly as he peppered kisses to Chris' lips, face and nose. Yes, she knew that her siblings mood might not be entirely evened out, but right now he seemed to be in a much, much better place.

"We were never able to get them apart even before they were like this." Hannah added absentmindedly, brushing a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear. "The only difference now is they won't be saying 'No Homo' when they hold each other's hands." 

"What are you two looking at out there that is so interesting?" 

Hannah's eyes snapped away from the window and towards the source of the voice, offering a weak smile at Jess who was approaching them with a curious look. While Jess hadn't made a direct apology to Hannah yet, she had certainly been a bit more remorseful for her actions then Mike or Emily. Still, the middle Washington child was a bit bitter at the pretty blond girl, and she hesitated a moment before ultimately gesturing towards the window for Jess to take a look.

Jess' reaction was, for lack of better words, adorable. Her eyes went wide at first, the shock on her face over seeing the two men outside nuzzled up against each other in a way that could only be seen as romantic was all consuming. Then the smile set into place and it was so bright, excited and happy that it was impossible not to mirror it. Her hands clapped softly together, the joy for her friends over flowing.

"Oh my god! They finally did it!" She squeaked, only to lower her voice and excitement level when Hannah made a 'shh' gesture. They didn't want the moment to be ruined by the boys noticing them after all. Stepping away from the window, Jess came to stand far enough away that the noise of her voice wouldn't carry to the porch. "This is so great though! They've spent what... five, maybe six years circling each other? It's great to see them finally together!"

An idea sprouted in Jess' head, her eyes glimmering as she flashed the twins a grin. "I think this warrants a special breakfast of my world famous 'Congratucakes'!"

Beth could barely contain the laughter wanting to escape her lips at Jessica's obvious joy. "You know where the ingredients are, feel free to use the kitchen." 

Flashing a smile and a thumbs up sign, Jess retreated into the kitchen with a merry hum, once more leaving Hannah and Beth alone by the window. Watching the blond woman go, Hannah turned away, wrapping her arms around herself as her gaze returned to her sibling.

They hadn't been lying when they said that most of the group had picked up on their interest in one another. Sam had realized it almost as soon as Beth and Hannah had and Emily, as bitchy as she may be, was brilliantly observant. The older of the two twins didn't know when Jess found out, but she suspected it was probably due to Emily telling her. Matt had actually walked up to Hannah and Beth a few weeks after their first meeting with him to inquire about the nature of Josh and Chris' relationship and while Beth had told him that they weren't dating she could see that the dark skinned young man thought they might as well have been.

The only two who were really in question were Ashley and Mike. Neither of them were idiots, or oblivious for that matter. If they didn't recognize the way that Josh and Chris looked at each other it was because they didn't WANT to. 

Locking eyes on the two boys outside, the young woman let out a soft, affectionate and a bit exasperated sigh. "They'll come in once they smell food. Until then let's leave them to their own thing. They've waited forever for this moment after all."

***

Unaware of their audience inside the lodge, Chris had completely melted against the brunette. Their kisses varied from soft pecks over their faces to slow press of lips, learning the other in a way they had only dreamed about before. As much as he wanted to explore this further, Chris knew he could not handle much more without either snapping or yielding completely.

"We're living the most cliché movie crap right now." Chris noted chuckling, cheeks flushed both from their close proximity as well as the nips of cold whenever the wind would pick up again. He could no longer feel his fingers where they were clenched on Josh's shirt, but he did not make any move to release the brunette either.

"Should I prepare myself for other cliché, cheessy tropes as well, hm? Roses on the bed, candles around the bath?" He was obviously teasing Josh, but the gentle look in his eyes was evidence enough that truthfully he would not mind living the cliché way.

"It's like the love child of 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'Love Actually'." Josh agreed with a soft chuckle, which only turned to an outright laugh at the mention of more cliché romantic gestures that they could partake in. "Sadly, roses might be a bit out of our reach at the moment, and the only bath big enough to fit two people happens to be Sam's favorite lurking grounds. I do happen to have a private cabin in the woods that is ripe with possibility however."

Ignoring the fact that the last time he had visited the cabin he had nearly turned his pants brown, the idea of getting away from the rest of the group to spend a night there alone with Chris was very appealing. It certainly had just the right atmosphere to take things to the next level. Yet, and this was the part where he hesitated most, were they even ready for that? They had only just had their first kiss. Would jumping in hot and heavy really be a good idea so soon?

Josh wanted Chris. He wanted him desperately in a way that made his whole body ache. But he wanted the whole package, not just the physical. If it didn't feel right, if the mood or the timing was off, then Josh would wait. After all, he had waited for several years to reach this moment, what was a month or two more in the grand scheme of things.

A burst of cold air drew him out of his musings, his hand having moved up to stroke Chris' cheek even without him realizing what he was doing. Blinking once, then twice, he offered the other male a small smile, tilting his head towards the door. "Let's head back inside. Losing our fingers to frostbite is hardly the way I want to end this romantic adventure."

"I heard that you can warm up your fingers by pushing them between your legs." Chris replied innocently as he broke free from the embrace, giving the brunette a teasing look. "The blood flow around human thighs tend to be fast, after all. It keeps the skin warm."

It was easier, and so much funnier to throw such facts and teasing words to Josh now than before. This time they both knew they were teasing each other, pushing and pulling in turn, learning what would make the other react the most.

With a last peck on Josh's parted lips, the blond laughed before backing away, hand fumbling behind him, pressing against the knob of the door.

If Chris hadn't been awkwardly fumbling for the door handle maybe his teasing would have worked. Maybe. As it stood however, the sight of Chris awkwardly trying to grab hold of the door without breaking eye contact with Josh was far too amusing. His blond haired nerd of a best friend turned boyfriend -that was what they were right?- was the most adorable thing under the sun.

Eyes filling with mischief, Josh stepped forward, hands moving to rest softly upon the blonde's legs as he pressed in close, partially pinning Chris between himself and the door. "Maybe you should spread your legs and let me find out. It could be a sexy experiment... a Sexperiment if you will." 

The press was enough to nearly force a whimper from Chris' lips, a noise he was quick to swallow down as he hit his head against the door. Josh's words were ghosting against his ear, the mere presence alone enough to make his legs feel like jelly, and all he wanted to do was shift ever so slightly to maybe get Josh's hands where the heat was beginning to gather.

He had never wanted it as much as right now.

Unfortunately for them, his hand slipped on the door knob causing the door to open, nearly sending the pair tumbling on the floor. The surprise of it had Chris squeaking, hands shooting up to clutch Josh against him before he'd fall over.

The momentum of the door swinging inside was enough to cause Josh to stumble forward, nearly bumping into a small table by the entrance as his balance was lost. Hand's were forced from his boyfriends legs in order too keep him from falling, instead coming to grab hold of Chris collar and nearly tugging them both down. It was by sheer force of will and an incredible amount of luck that he didn't end up on the floor.

Of course their tumble did not go unseen, Beth raising her eyebrow at the sight. "As happy as I am for you guys, try not to bone against the door. I'd rather not have you idiots hurt yourself because you could not wait to find a proper bed to do it in."

Their position was far from innocent. Chris was still pinned to the door and Josh was still pressed against him. While his hands may not have been at the other man's thighs his leg had moved to rest between the blond haired man's parted ones in order to find some form of balance. With their cheeks heavily flushed it didn't take much to realize what they might have been up to.

Gently, Josh released Chris' collar, pulling his leg out from between the blonde's as he turned to offer his sister a sheepish grin. "I just can't help myself. Chris is just too damn attractive. I take one look at him and suddenly I'm just filled with this urge to-"

"Okay, please don't continue with that." Hannah said, covering her ears with her hands as she came to join her sister, her dark eyes filled with exasperation at the two boys. "Brain bleach isn't exactly easy to come by you know."

Chris straightened up clearing his throat, the flush on his cheeks dark as he corrected the position of his glasses before stepping up to Josh, lips brushing against his ear. "I want to find out later just what urge you get when you look at me." He whispered quietly, delivering a tiny nip on the ear lobe before pulling back smiling.

Biting down hard on his bottom lip to keep from letting out the moan that threatened to escape his lips at the sensation of Chris' warm breath ghosting his ear, Josh let out a shaky chuckle. The doubt from earlier about whether or not they were ready to move on to the next step so soon was quickly tossed out the window in favor of some rather creative imagery. "I'll be sure to give you a very hands on demonstration then." Was the soft response, ear lobe tingling from where Chris had oh-so-softly nipped at it. 

"I smell breakfast." Chris stated turning to look at the sisters, meeting Beth's amused look. "Yeah, it's almost ready. God knows you'll need the energy, though I suggest to get some actual sleep after eating."

The smell of pancakes hit Josh the moment that Chris alerted him to their existence and his stomach let out a rumble of interest. He hadn't eaten anything at all last night and nothing for lunch either. He was absolutely starved. The idea of sleep sounded nice as well, but he still had to lay out traps for the wolves. 

"As wonderful as food and a nap sound, I've still got my flock to look out for. I can't have those big bad wolves making off with one of you while I'm passed out upstairs." Moving forward to gently ruffle Beth and Hannah's hair he offered them both a smile that he hoped would show he would be alright before making his way into the kitchen.

Jess had really out-done herself. The blond haired young woman had made stacks upon stacks of pancakes by the time Josh sat down at the table and judging from the colors and the shapes it was pretty clear to him that they weren't just regular flapjacks either. "Wow, what's the special occasion? I thought you only made your 'Congratucakes' when something big happens." He said in a curious tone, fingers moving to try and tear a piece off a chocolate chip pancake that was sitting nearby, only for Jess to playfully bat his hand away with a small pout.

"What do you think, dummy? It's to celebrate you and Chris finally getting together after spending years with your heads asses." Setting down a plate of blueberry pancakes, Jess grinned down at Josh with a bright gleam in her eye. "Congrats by the way. You two dorks deserve each other."

Chris turned positively a darker shade of red at Jessica's words, a hand dragging down his face. It seemed like few of their friends had caught them embracing out on the porch, there was no other explanation to why they suddenly seemed to know about their change of relationship.

Still, the look on Josh's face was enough to make him chuckle as he made his way over to the dark skinned youth, wrapping his arms around his shoulders as he peered at Jessica. "Thanks, Jess. You and your pancakes are the cherry on the top this morning." He said honestly, a content smile playing on his lips before he pressed them on the nape of Josh's neck, smiling against the skin before pulling back and took a seat beside his boyfriend.

"I was right, wasn't I? They're going to go through the 'honeymoon' phase and be completely lost in each other." Beth complained joining the others, but there was no heat in her words.

"There isn't any shame in wanting to cuddle up with your honey. You're just upset because you're Josh's sister and therefor can't enjoy the eye candy." Was Jessica's teasing response, head turning to give Chris and Josh a wink, letting out another laugh when Josh winked back in return.

Hannah took her seat next to Beth, chin resting upon her hand as she smiled at the scene that was playing out before them. Josh could see that she was tired, but his attention was caught by Beth's teasing words. "Oh dear sister, one day you too will find someone who makes your cold heart beat red. Until then I beseech thee not to deny me and mine hearts desire our fun."

"As long as you're not giving any of us a reason to use that brain bleach." Beth snorted amused, piling pancakes on her plate before continuing. "That means no boning in public places, keep it in your room."

"Oh my god, Beth." Chris groaned covering his face embarrassed much to the sister's amusement, obvious glee written on her face. "That's so precious. Don't worry, Josh'll heal you from your virginity sooner or later." 

This time her words had Chris choking on his pancake while the rest of the table seemed to erupt in laughter so loud it had woken several others from their slumber.

The sound of laughter made the kitchen warm with life and Josh couldn't help but find the way his new boyfriend flushed up under his siblings teasing words to be adorable. Of course, even he flushed up a bit at the mention of curing Chris of his virginity, covering it up by moving the plate of banana pancakes closer so he could plot two onto his plate, followed by two chocolate chip pancakes and a generous amount of syrup. 

"What's going on in here?" Sam asked yawning, a pleased smile spreading on her lips at the sight of the pancakes. "Congratucakes! Oh please please please tell me this means what I think it does."

"If you think it means that Chris and I have turned our bromance into a romance then you will be delightedly pleased to hear the answer is yes. If otherwise, well, I hope these splendid pancakes created in honor our undying love for one another will pacify you. Especially the banana one. They're homolicious."

"Josh! I know you did not just call my pancakes 'homolicious'!" Jess exclaimed shaking her head, mouth in a large smile despite her protests.

"You're right. You're right." Holding up his arms in a mock defeat, the twinkling mischief in his gaze was the only sign of what was about to come. "It would be more accurate to call them 'panlicious'." 

The slice of banana hit Josh's cheek with a soft splat noise, the room going silent as it slowly slid down his tanned cheek before landing on the plate with a plop. For a second everything was still as the situation sunk in, before roars of laughter erupted from everyone.

Chris was laughing so hard he felt his stomach cramp up and the laughter turned into wheezing, and he was barely aware of more people joining the room with confused expressions that soon turned into amusement as the good spirit affected them as well. 

He fell against Josh gasping for breath, wiping the water from his eyes before reaching for that poor piece of banana and popped it in his mouth. "Honestly, our breakfast is going to resemble the dwarven ones at this rate." He commented after getting his breath back, straightening up on his seat.

"Chris is right, Jess worked hard for this breakfast so let's enjoy it." Sam agreed amusement coloring her tone as she started piling the pancakes on her plate. Still, the good mood remained upon them, one that had most of them smiling down at their plates, making easy small talk with the person next to them.

As breakfast went on and more people joined in their merry time, it became increasingly more and more obvious what the reason for Jessica's 'Congratucakes' was. Josh didn't bother hiding it either. Why should he when he felt like he was on top of the world? Somewhere between his third and fourth pancake, he had stood up and changed his seat to Chris' opposite side, his right hand moving out to Chris, finding the blonde's left hand and then locking their fingers together in an open display on top of the table. 

Matt had been the next person to arrive after Sam, his hair ruffled and his eyes still blurry from sleep. Still, when he caught sight of the pancakes and the pair of hands clasped together on the table he could help but offer them both a pat on the back and a sleepy congratulations before taking the free seat next to Josh and busying himself with pancakes.

Emily had followed roughly five minutes later, looking considerably more alert then Matt. "Fucking finally. If you two hadn't ended up together by the end of this trip I would have shoved you into the broom closet to sort out your feelings myself." She had said as she rolled her eyes, thought the soft smile on her face was proof enough that she was happy for them. In her own bitchy way of course.

With only two in their party left to join them at the table, Josh couldn't help but feel a bit anxious over what was going to happen with Ashley. His own meal was finished. Technically, they could leave now and avoid the inevitable just a bit longer. Josh's grip on his boyfriends hands tightened as he waved that idea away. There would be no good coming from them waiting to tell anyone. Be it Ashley or anybody else.

Mike was the one who came down next, his gaze darting from their joined hands to the pancakes, then back to their hands. Chris tightened his grip of Josh's hand in response, his entire posture tense as he studied Mike's reaction carefully.

Confusion, disbelief and uncertainty passed across Mike's face as he took a seat by the table, feeling more than one pair of eyes on him. "So... you guys are a thing now?" He asked after a moment of silence, to which Chris replied with a nod.

"I thought you were straight."

"Bisexual, actually."

"Huh. So all the times you were pulling those acts..."

"Is this going to be a problem?"

And now there was obvious defense in Chris' voice as he stared at Mike, refusing to break the eye contact. 

The older of the two squirmed a bit, frowning slightly before shrugging his shoulders. "As long as you don't rub it on my face, I don't care who you bang."

Which translated to as much approval as they could get from Mike for now. 

As if realizing that the tension wouldn't be cut without a bit of interference, Josh let out a mock sigh of disappointment. "Well damn. There goes my plans for a threesome tonight. Looks like it will just be me and you tonight Chris." Winking first at his boyfriend and then towards his friend, Josh watched as the tension seemed to dissipate in the room. 

Things fell back into place after that. Occasionally, Mike would chance a glance up from his pancakes, looking like he wanted to say something, but in the end he never did. Admittedly, Josh was a bit curious as to what was going through his mind, but he didn't have the heart to press. If he finally grew the balls to say something, Josh would gladly be willing to answer any and all inquiries. Until then, he would continue his conversation with Jess about the newest movie his father was producing.

He was so lost in his conversation that he didn't notice the soft footsteps of Ashley as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He did notice the shocked little gasp that escaped her lips though, and immediately the guilt hit him like a stack of bricks to the face.

"...Hey Ash. How are you this morning?" Offering her a small smile, he could feel her gaze alternating from Josh, to Chris, then to their linked hands. 

She was silent for a long moment, and unlike before Josh couldn't really think of a way to lighten the mood. Chris may have been fearing Mike's reaction, but the broken hearten look in the girls eyes was definitely the thing Josh had been dreading the most. 

"I... think I'm going to skip breakfast today." Was Ashley's final response, before she turned heel and quickly took her leave of the room. 

Josh didn't know whether it should be him or Chris who should go after her.


	9. Chapter 9

It wasn't as if Ashley hadn't been aware of the fact that Chris and Josh had things for each other. She wasn't an idiot and she certainly wasn't blind. Yet it still stung to see the two of them sitting at that table, hands clasped together and Jessica's 'Congratucakes' piled high on everyone's plates. 

Her fingers gripped the fabric of her beanie as she let out a couple of weak sobs, biting her lip to keep the noise down so that nobody could hear. She should be happy for them, but all she felt was confused and betrayed. 

She couldn't understand why Josh would push her and Chris together so often only to end up leaping in and snatching Chris away. He wasn't a cruel person. Hell, Ashley was pretty sure there wasn't a cruel bone in Joshua Washington's body. Yet what he had done to her could only be considered as vicious. At least, that's what she had thought when she first shut herself away. A few minutes of thinking and she had managed to figure out an idea as to why Josh had done what he had done. Still, it wasn't exactly a good feeling.

Then there was Chris. God, she thought she could have fallen in love with Chris. He was funny, he was friendly, and they had clicked in a way that Ashley thought meant they had something special. For a while, she had really thought he might have been into her too. Apparently not.

Looking up when Chris knocked on her door, she let out a sniffle, quickly rubbing her tears away with the back of her hand and slipping her beanie back onto her head. "Y-yeah. Come in, the door isn't locked." 

Permission granted, Chris slipped in the room and closed the door after him. Seeing the younger girl completely broken on the bed stung even more, and he released a small sound as he moved closer to Ashley and sat on the edge of the bed.

"God Ash.... I don't even know where to start." Chris said quietly, wanting to do nothing else but pull the other close and hold her, but he was not sure if his touch would be welcome so he remained still. "Neither of us wanted for you to get hurt, you have to believe me on that." He finally got out, looking at the other sadly. "As stupid and cliché as it sounds, it kind of... happened. And I feel horrible, and I know Josh does too."

"I'm... hurt Chris. But more then anything I'm confused. If you didn't actually like me... if the one you wanted this whole time was Josh... then why did you spend so much time with me? Why did you make it seem like there was a possibility for us to be something?" She asked, voice trembling as she held back the tears and hurt. "Was I just a distraction? What was going on in your head Chris. Or in Josh's for that matter."

Turning to look at Chris, her face was a mixture of anger, confusion and hurt. "He spent all that time trying to... to give us time together! Like he wanted us to become a thing or something. I thought that meant he was over you, or that he didn't intend to do anything and was giving me his blessing or something." Letting out a frustrated sigh, she shook her head, her long brown hair falling around her shoulders in little waves. 

She fell silent for a long moment, before locking her gaze with Chris. "Did you... ever really like me?"

"There was a time I was crushing on you." Chris replied honestly, staring down at his own fingers nervously. And he was sure that if he didn't know Josh, he would have definitely dated Ashley. But he did know Josh, and he did have feelings for him.

"But even then, the feelings I had for him were stronger." He added, turning to look at the girl with a careful smile. "Even if I had buried them away, they were still there. I know it's bullshit and I hate the knowledge that you got pulled in between this mess. I hate seeing you hurt." 

Chris licked his lips. "I understand if you want and need time, but I wish I'm not going to lose you completely. You're a brilliant girl, Ash. I'm just sorry we ended up in a situation like this."

The breath she took was long, deep and slow, her eyes closing as she sorted through all her thoughts and feelings. It took her a moment before slowly she nodded her head. "I'm going to need a little bit of time to get over it, yeah. But... I still want to be your friend. And Josh's too, of course." Offering Chris a soft, sad but sincere smile, her hand moved to brush away the small tears that were lingering at the side of her eyes. 

Her gaze moved away from Chris after that, staring at nothing in particular as she let out another sad sigh. "Tell the other's I'll be down in an hour or two okay? And if possible keep everyone from eating all of the blueberry pancakes?"

"Will do." Chris promised standing up from the bed. He felt relief that their talk had gone without actual fighting, and that the girl still wanted to remain their friend after this. He ruffled Ashley's hair lightly after tugging down her beanie, giving her an encouraging smile before leaving her to collect herself.

Beth gave him a concerned look as he joined the others, one he returned with a tired smile. "She's fine. She'll join us in couple of hours and requested that you'll leave some of the blueberry pancakes for her."

"Thank goodness... I was worried I'd have to spend the rest of the trip kissing her boots to make it up to her." Josh said only half-joking, though his posture did seem considerably less relaxed.

Chris' hand lingered on the back of Josh's chair for a moment, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I'm going to get some sleep, you going to join me after you're done with the traps?"

"I'll be happy to join you, but I'm not sure if sleeping is what we'll be doing." The wink and grin were downright lascivious, as was the way Josh purposely licked his lips afterwards. 

"Ew. Please. That expression is the LAST thing I want to be seeing on Josh's face in the morning." Emily said, making a gagging gesture as a couple of the other's laughed.

"As much as I like you, I need sleep more." Chris replied teasingly, leaning down to peck Josh's lips lightly. "Unless you can convince me that it's a much better idea to remain awake." He murmured quietly, the same teasing gleam playing in his gaze as he straightened again.

"I'll see you guys in couple of hours, when I hopefully feel less like one of those zombies I kill in those games." He added out loud, receiving couple of nods in return before the blond made his way upstairs and into Josh's room.

"You're a complete goner." Beth commented amused, bringing the plates to the sink. "I've never seen you like this, Josh. That whole 'love' look suits you."

Standing up, Josh moved to help Beth with the dishes as he let out a soft noise of agreement that was somewhere between a hum and a sigh. "What can I say? He has bewitched me, body and soul." The snort from Hannah at the very abbreviated reference brought a teasing smile to his lips, his other sister joining him with the last of the plates. Before either of them knew it he had pulled them both into a one armed hug each. "Now, if only there was some lucky fellow or lass that would make your hearts go a flutter."

A shuffling behind them made it clear that the others were getting up to leave, especially Mike who he knew probably didn't feel all that comfortable with any part of this conversation. Lowering his voice so that nobody else could hear he continued. "You know, one that doesn't end up being a complete tool when he or she finds out about said feelings."

Beth glanced at Hannah briefly at Josh's words before offering both of them a smile. "We'll be fine, Josh. We're happy to see you happy, that's all we need right now." She assured him, bumping her shoulder against Josh's lightly. "Now go on, take care of the traps so you can join your boyfriend." She snickered. 

Hannah let out a soft chuckle of her own at Josh's words, one of her hands moving to gently push at his shoulder just as Beth's bumping him sent him towards her. "Really Josh. It's fine. I'm over it and I'm completely over him. Like Beth said, you center on making yourself happy right now." The young woman's voice was soft, but it held an air of confidence in it that suggested that she wasn't lying. She really WAS over Mike and the knowledge that Josh and Chris would be playing a payback prank was more than enough for her to move on from the prank.

Josh seemed to hesitate for a moment, still worried about Hannah regardless. It was his duty as a big brother to worry after all. Still, in the end he nodded his head, leaning to press a kiss to both of their cheeks. "Right right. I can take a hint. I'll see you two in an hour or two. Just be sure to keep everyone inside until I get back." Pulling away, he stopped, nibbling at his bottom lip for a moment. "...hey... you guys wouldn't happen to know where that animal track guide is would you?"

Blinking, Hannah turned to look at Josh curiously. "It should be in the library somewhere. Why?" 

"No reason. I just wanted to make sure that the tracks were wolves and not some group of dogs who ran off from the local kennel." Waving off any further questioning, the dark haired young man flashed his sisters a warm grin before heading off to grab the traps and the book in question. 

The actual act of setting up the traps, or more accurately a special fencing that deterred predators away from the areas in question was not difficult as it was time consuming. His parents had purchased a special kind of non-lethal trap that his mother had been insistent on using. Apparently, the local Natives and the rangers weren't so keen on the idea of having a bunch of legless animals running around. His mother had purchased something called fladry, which was basically just a bunch of red flag like bits that hung from a thin wire rope and had set up little spots along the area from which to hang it. It was a hassle, especially with the fact he had to keep returning to get more, but Josh managed to line most of the commonly used trails and areas of interest with the stuff in a matter of a few hours. 

In fact, by noon, the only place left was the guest cabin. 

Josh wasn't thrilled with the idea of returning there alone after his initial run in with the mysterious mountain hobo, but at least it wasn't late into the evening. Besides, if he did run into the mountain hobo again, maybe he'd get some answers as to why the tracks he found by the lodge weren't listed in what was supposed to be an all encompassing guide to animal tracks of the native species. 

Following the path and occasionally looping the line of fladry through a post along the path, Josh hummed softly to himself as he worked his way down the guest cabin path, occasionally heading back for more. Back and forth, back and forth. Not a job he had really been wanting to do after spending the night awake. By the time he reached the guest cabin he was debating the pros and cons of taking a break for a bit, only to chase the thought away.

It was fortunate that this time around Josh had all but been expecting the stranger to pop up, otherwise he probably would have repeated last nights little screaming incident. Instead, he moved to slowly stand from where he was currently looping fladry around one of the posts around the guest cabin. 

The wolves lifted their heads at the sound of the footsteps approaching, growling quietly before they were silenced with an action of the man's hand. "You should not go poking your nose where it does not belong, boy."

"Considering the fact my father owns this mountain, I'm pretty sure that my nose is exactly where it belongs." Was the response he gave the man, trying to look confident when in fact his knees were shaking. "You lied about what was out here. I saw those tracks and I saw... something... in the window last night. Now, I get you want to play the part of the mysterious mountain guru or something but if there is something out there... my family and I deserve to know what it is so we can look into getting it taken care of." 

Swallowing thickly, he tried to keep his breathing in check as he locked his gaze on the masked face of the older man. For all he knew, the thing outside had just been the man before him, using some kind of tool to fake some beast in order to scare them off the mountain. Yet why would he do that? It wasn't like the mountain had anything particularly valuable anymore. The mines had long since been cleared of anything valuable and the guy seemed far to druidic to be a poacher or an illegal logger. 

"True, there are not only wolves up in these mountains." The Stranger replied watching the young man move with a critical eye. "But trust me when I say that this is something you will not want to stick your nose in, unless you want to return from the mountain in a body bag."

He took a step closer to Josh. "You saw those prints, you know they are not made by a wolf. You don't need to know what it is, but I already took care of it last night. It won't be tearing up you or your friends. But for your own sanity, stay away from the mines and the Sanitorium."

It was almost a relief to hear that the mysterious stranger had dealt with it. Almost. From the way he was speaking it seemed almost as if he was keeping whatever it was locked up inside the mines and Sanitorium. Admittedly, Josh was curious, but he wasn't stupid enough, or brave enough to go looking for trouble. Whatever it was he had seen last night wasn't the average mountain predator. If the seriousness in the man's eyes was to be believed then it was something a lot more dangerous. Josh didn't like the thought of that kind of beast running around the mountain when his sisters and Chris were there. 

He was silent for a long moment, biting at his bottom lip as he watched this unknown figure, unable to read anything into the man other then he was dead serious about everything he was saying. "...alright. I'll make you a deal. You keep taking care of... whatever it is... and I will pretend that those tracks were made by a really messed up bear and never bring this up to anybody ever again. Sound good?"

The tiniest of smiles flickered on the Stranger's lips as he pulled back. "You've got more brains than you show, boy. You've got yourself a deal." As long as it meant the kids would stay away from those wretched places, he'd be happy. He didn't need them ruining the place he had started to think of his own.

Especially with the wendigo trapped within it.

"Hopefully I won't have to come give you this talk ever again." He added whistling again, the wolves dutifully taking their place on his side before the trio started their trek back down the mountain.

"Nope, I think we are good. Have fun doing... whatever it is you do." Josh managed to get out weakly, watching as the man disappeared into the wilderness. Once again he lingered there until the man and his pets were gone, before ultimately snapping back to what he was doing before. While it may have been pointless to continue hanging up to fladry for actual use, he still needed to do it to keep up appearances. 

Josh knew better then to go back on a promise with a monster hunting machete wielding mountain hobo with a posse of wolves. 

His watch read 1:37 by the time that he got back to the lodge, ears tinted red from the cold and feeling like he was on the verge of passing out on his feet. At least there wouldn't need to be another long night like the last two. "I'm back!" He called out into the lodge, shutting the door behind him and kicking the snow off his boots and onto the floor. He lingered for a moment, waiting to hear a response, before heading towards the stairs.

"Found anything interesting?" Sam asked walking down the stairs dressed in her sweater and yet another red skirt. "I think some of the people are out on the backyard, everyone kind of scattered to do their things." She smiled stopping beside Josh.

"Sort of. There were a couple of weird tracks outside last night that I couldn't figure out. Turns out they belonged to some bear with fucked up feet. I found the body on the way to the cabin and spent a good ten minutes dragging it into the woods and away from the path. If it wasn't gross as hell I would have taken pictures." He said, the lie coming easily from his lips. Sam knew better then to bring up something like a deformed bear to the rest of their friends, so he knew that nobody would bother looking into the lie either. Not until he could use the excuse that wolves had eaten it at least. "Other then that nothing much." 

It was easy to read the exhaustion on Josh's face, so she nodded her head towards upstairs. "Go sleep with your boy, I'll keep watching over the others."

"Sounds like a great plan. I'll leave the flock in your capable hands then, Moses." Before Sam even had a chance to groan at his words, Josh was heading his way up the stairs and towards his room feeling might proud of himself. Chalk another great reference onto the ever growing pile.

His footsteps grew quiet as he drew closer to his room, not wanting to awaken Chris if the other male was actually still sleeping. The door thankfully didn't creak as he opened it, eyes scanning the room for his boyfriends figure. "...Chris? You up?" Josh question softly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Kind of." Chris' response was muffled against the pillows as he shifted, the blond burying himself deeper under the blankets. He had spent the couple of hours drifting in and out of sleep, hoping that the next time he'd open his eyes Josh would be beside him but before now, he had had no luck.

Apparently he could not get proper rest before he knew the older boy was safe.

"Did everything go alright?" He mumbled turning to look at the brunette, squinting his eyes a bit to sharpen the blurry image of his boyfriend, seeing as his glasses were on the table.

Slipping off his jacket as he closed the door behind him, a yawn escaped the older man's lips before he could really help himself. As much as he had been eager to get down and dirty earlier, at that moment it was pretty clear that neither of them was particularly up to the task. Using his grip on the door to keep himself steady, he shimmied his feet out of his shoes as well, pushing them up against the wall as he let out a soft hum in response to his boyfriends questioning. 

"Yeah. The weird tracks belonged to a seriously deformed bear. Had to move it and wash up at the cabin before I came back." Again, the lie fell easily from its lips, the knowledge that Chris would be too tired to really care about some random bear Josh had to move in the woods enough to keep him relaxed. 

The sensation of his wet pants hitting his skin on the other hand was hardly comforting. "Shit. That's cold." Was the hissed response, Josh's teeth grinding together as he hopped uncomfortably to the bed, trying to keep the cold fabric from touching him anymore then it had too. Why is it that no matter how perfectly cut your pants were, the edges always seemed to get wet when you went out into the snow?

In Josh's tired mind, the last thing he really was thinking about at that moment was how Chris might feel seeing him strip the dampened garment off his body. All that mattered was that the pants needed to come off as soon as humanly possible. 

The garment fell to the side of the bed with a soft plop and a long, overly dramatic sigh of relief from the oldest of the Washington children. "Much better." Grinning, he turned his attention back to the burrito that housed his boyfriend. The sight of Chris bundled up like that was adorable, but Josh was determined to wiggle himself in there as well somehow. 

"Are you going to let me in or am I going to have to use alternative strategies to steal back some blanket?" Laying down beside Chris, he gently nudged what he thought was the back of the younger man's calf with his foot.

"You're going to press your cold legs against me, aren't you?" Chris asked feigning a sigh before he turned around on the bed and regretfully unwrapped himself from the ball he had curled up in. As soon as he lifted the edge of the blanket, his bare skin was hit with a gust of chiller air and he shuddered throwing part of the blanket hastily over Josh. "Fuck that's cold!"

"I was thinking hands but that's a close enough guess to win the consolation prize." Pressing a quick kiss to the blond haired man's nose, Josh slipped himself under the covers as quickly as he could in order to avoid letting out all that lovely body heat. After spending several hours out in the chilly mountain air it would have been a devastating loss after all.

In sharp contrast to Josh's own chilled skin, Chris' warmth felt heavenly as he gently ran his hand over his arm. While he knew that it may not have been the nicest thing to do, the older man allowed himself to press in closer, twining his legs with that of his best friend and boyfriend in a strange semblance of a cuddling position. 

The pair fell asleep in each other's arms, oblivious to the world outside their blanket cocoon of warmth and safety.

Josh's dream was wonderful. In truth, it was rare for him to actually have noticeable dreams at all and they usually came in one of two varieties. Horribly vivid night terrors that left him gasping and covered in sweat or strange, enigmatic dreams that seemed to carry on forever in some semblance of a story. Yet the one he was having now was shockingly simple and unlike either.

Chris, Sam, Beth and Hannah were gathered around his living room floor, the five of them relaxing together and talking about some made up things that didn't really make much sense. That was it. Just him and the people he cared about the most sitting there and relaxing and doing nothing. Sure, every now and then something off would happen. Beth would move in a way that wasn't entirely normal, as if she was weightless. Hannah would say something that she would never say or know something that she would never know. Sam's hair was constantly shifting between her usual dirty blond and different shades of red that seemed oddly familiar. Not to mention Chris didn't have his cellphone out. 

It was a wonderful dream regardless and the smile on Josh's face existed both in the dream world and the real one. 

Still all dreams had to come to an end and the waking world was beckoning him as the sensation of lips pressed against his forehead drew him from his dream. Dark lashes flutter gently against tanned cheeks, his body shifting a bit as consciousness drew closer and closer, before finally his eyes opened to the sight of the blond before him. The smile from earlier shifted to be just a bit larger, his eyes cringing at the corner as he tried to keep back a yawn that would blast morning breath into the other's face.

"Good morning sunshine." Josh whispered, a hand finding the soft, short strands at the back of the other man's neck and gently running his fingers through them, careful of the bandage. "Did you sleep well?"

Chris hummed, giving a small nod of his head before curling his fingers against Josh's shirt. The brunette was freaking adorable when he had just woken up, using nicknames he had not used in this context before. 

"What about you? You look more rested." Chris noted voice rough from sleep, head tilting slightly in the gentle touch on the back of his neck, shuddering slightly. He brought his own hand up, cupping Josh's chin lightly before pressing their foreheads together.

It was Josh's turn to hum, the noise rumbling from his lips, dry as they were from slumber. Face leaning into his boyfriends touch he just continued to give a sleepy smile as his mind slowly began to grow more alert. "Yeah. Had a really simple dream. 'twas nice." He mumbled, eyes once more crinkling as a second yawn was forced back down. 

Josh would have been content to lay like that for the remainder of the night to be honest. Chris was so pleasant warm that his body instinctively curled in closer, legs rubbing against that of the younger male. The blonde's hair felt soft against his fingers and morning breath be damned it was lovely being so close that he could pick out each speck of color in the other male's eyes.

"Hey... Chris? What do you say we spend tomorrow night at the guest cabin. Just me and you." The fingers in Chris' hair slowly moved lower, rubbing the other man's neck and then back gently through the fabric of his shirt. While the question itself was innocent sounding enough, they both knew what would most likely happen if they were left alone in the cabin, and had Josh's mind not still been foggy with sleep he might have waited a little longer before suggesting it. Yet at that moment, it had felt right.

The words caused Chris' breath to hitch ever so slightly, fingers twitching against Josh's shirt. He would love to spend some time with his boyfriend alone, but the implications about what could possibly happen when they finally were alone had his mind reeling and a bright flush rise upon his cheek. "Yeah... I think that's a good idea." He chuckled, pressing a light kiss on Josh's smiling lips.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally here! +45k words later, we're finally getting the boys into the bone-zone! So fair warning for those who don't like this kind of stuff, these two next chapters will have boys boning each other and figuring out how sex with your best friend works. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The thoughts did not leave him alone after that.

Not during the rest of the day when he was helping Sam build up a fort of snow in the backyard, not when he was helping Hannah clear her room from some of the reminders of Mike, not even during the evening when he was curled on the couch next to Josh, watching others goof and joke around.

It was a miracle around he could sleep that night without allowing the kisses with his boyfriend develop into something more. He had thought he had enough self-restraint to not melt under Josh's touch, but damn he was wrong. The brunette seemed to be swimming under his skin with a mere smile alone.

The others of course found the whole ordeal amusing, giving the pair teasing looks and implying words throughout the whole day after they found out about their plans to spend the night at the cabin. Jessica even slipped a condom on his back pocket when she hugged him, and Chris wasn't sure whether to die from mortification or thank her.

He ended up squeaking before escaping the room.

"Well, I suppose that's everything we need." Chris sighed closing the zipper of his smaller bag that he had packed with his night gear, a pack of cards, and couple of bottles of beer. "You got the sandwiches Beth made?"

"Yeah. I got them." Was the soft response that came from Josh from where he stood by his bed, fingers shuffling through the small, colorful bag that he had borrowed from one of the closets downstairs. It hadn't been his fault that he had forgotten to bring something small for overnight things. After all, he hadn't expected to confess his feelings for Chris during the trip and he certainly hadn't planned to be taking a trip alone to the guest cabin with him. Not to mention all the crap his parents had made him lug around.

As hideously ugly as it was -- which was incredibly-- the bag would serve his purposes just fine. Namely carrying the food items Beth had given him and his clothing, not to mention a bottle of lube and more appropriately sized condoms, from point A to point B and then back to point A when their fun had been finished. 

Pulling away from his bag, Josh's dark eyes watched as Chris zipped up the last of his things into his backpack, his legs slowly pulling him closer before his arms encircled the other man from behind. "...Are you sure this is what you want to do? I'd understand if you were feeling any doubts. I mean, even if you want to go but don't want to do anything other than what we've been doing that would be fine. I just... fuck... I want you to want this and for it to feel right." 

The words fell from his mouth in an awkward jumble, the teasing tone he had been taking throughout a majority of the day replaced with a gentle sincerity. His concern was clear as day, far outweighing his own personal desires to ravish the blond so thoroughly that he wouldn't be able to walk the next morning. Because as cliché as it was, when it came to Chris, it wasn't going to be sex. It would be making love.

"I'm sure." Chris replied smiling, placing his hands on top of Josh's arms, nose nuzzling against his boyfriend's cheek. "I mean nervous yeah, who wouldn't be? But I want it. I want to spend time with you, goof around in the cabin and if things feel natural and we both want it..." He trailed off, his smile turning a tad shyer.

"I want you, Josh. Every single part of you."

Heart thundering in his chest, the weight of the other man's words left Josh feeling breathless and weightless. It was such an incredible thing, knowing that the person who he was so desperately and completely enthralled with felt the same. Until that moment, Josh had been hesitant to say that feeling he felt for Chris was love. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was overestimate his own emotions. Yet hearing Chris say those words.... Well there wasn't anything else that it could be.

He was simply, utterly, completely in love with Chris.

Shifting slightly so that he was next to Chris and not behind him, he leaned in to press his lips against those of his boyfriends, more intimately than a simple chaste kiss but not passionate enough to leave him breathless. No, it was a kiss that promised more was to come, a kiss meant to drown away the fears that lingered on their minds and force to the surface the excitement and joy once more.

"Then what are we waiting for? I've got a bottle of champagne with our name on it up in the cabin." Voice filled with a giddiness that was most likely contagious, Josh pulled away to grab hold of his own bag, tossing it over his shoulder before moving to extend his free hand to the other male, a smile on his face that would have made the sun jealous.

"You seriously got us champagne?" Chris asked amused as he linked their fingers together, unable to keep himself from smiling just as widely as the brunette did. Josh's smile had always been catching, and it was on moments like these that he relished them the most.

"That's adorable." He added chuckling, tugging the older man out of the room with him. 

"Technically, I took it from my parents wine cellar, but the feelings still there." Giving Chris' hand a soft squeeze, Josh allowed himself to be dragged from the bedroom and out into the hall. 

While Chris didn't seem all to keen on giving their friends much of a goodbye, Josh had always been one for theatrics, blowing kisses at his sisters before making a very crude gesture meant to simulate giving a blowjob that nearly earned him a pillow to the face. 

Closing the door behind them, Josh allowed Chris a moment to take in the scenery. While it certainly wasn't the same as the sunrise the day before, there certainly was a great deal of atmosphere. An atmosphere that Josh's childish, playful nature simply could not allow to go untarnished. 

The moment that Chris turned to face him a wad of snow was lovingly shoved in his face and the hand holding Chris was released as Josh sprung out onto the snow, all smiles and vibrant energy. Laughter ringing out through the woods as he allowed the shock of what had just happened to settle in. "That's a great look for you, sunshine." 

Chris was quick to wipe the snow from his face and glasses, spitting some of it from his mouth before turning to glare at Josh. "You did not just do that." He stated stepping closer to the escaping brunette, scooping snow from the ground.

The obvious joy on the other's face made him smile, even when he dashed after him and threw the ball right at his neck. He made sure his bag was still tightly strapped on his back before scooping to get more snow from the ground.

Letting out a yelp as cold snow hit his skin, followed by a burst of laughter, Josh took the moment that Chris was distracted with gathering more snow to start making a dash down the path. "You'll never catch me by just standing around with your ass out in the open, Häyhä." Ducking down to snatch a handful of snow, Josh kept himself on the move, following the fladry lined trail towards the guest cabin, every now and then shoving his bag up over his shoulder but otherwise constantly on the move.

Maybe it wasn't the smartest of ideas to be running backwards through the snow, but Josh knew the path well enough. He had spent several hours yesterday morning putting up vibrant red flags fence things along that very path. If he thought he would be going through an area he could trip on then he would slow down, but not yet. Not until they passed the old truck.

Speaking of which, he arrived at the very truck laughing and incredibly out of breath, ducking behind it and resting his back against the cold metal. Many a snowball had been thrown as they headed down the path, Josh one step ahead of Chris at each turn. Now that he finally had a moment to gather himself he did just that, readjusting his bag and building up a much sturdier snowball for this time around. "He's not going to know what hit him." Chuckling to himself, he slowly raised his head up so he could see over the side, searching for the blond and his hundreds of jackets.

But Chris knew Josh's moves, of course he did. He had grown up with the brunette, and this was not their first snow fight together. Certainly not the last either. Josh had used the old truck by the road as a shelter countless of times before, and was not surprised to catch the flash of the other man as he once again hid behind the car.

This time instead of running into a possible trap however, Chris leapt of the path. He knew it was risky, knew the unknown area could hide dangers one would not expect but for once he wanted to be the one who beat Josh in this game of theirs.

He kept close to the trees, deeming he land safe enough to walk around them as he circled behind the truck, behind Josh. His hands had formed yet another ball of snow, and he grinned as he snuck closer, seeing Josh peer over he car to where the brunette thought he would still be.

"Hey, Josh!" He called, throwing the ball on his friend's neck once again.

"Holy shit! Holy shit that's cold!" The fear of Chris' sudden disappearance vanished, replaced by their earlier mirth as Josh burst out into laughter, twirling around while grabbing a loose fistful of snow to toss back at the other male. 

The snow he had tossed was far too loosely packed to travel far enough, instead spreading a spray of white between them that was gently blown away by the wind. "Where the hell did you go man?! I thought you fell into a hole or something!" Despite his words, the smile on his face said that he didn't really mind. Instead, he moved forward, ducking down to collect another snowball, knowing that Chris had nowhere to hide now.

"I'll never tell you my secret!" Chris laughed waving the dust of snow away from his face, grinning at the sight of the other picking up more snow from the ground. "Oh no you don't." He snickered dumping his bag on the ground before he charged at Josh, tackling him on the ground.

His laughter was clear in the air, hands pressing down against the brunette's shoulder as he held him down. "I won." He taunted teasingly, cheeks and nose flushed from cold.

Slowly, Josh's hands moved up, running softly over his boyfriends jacket clad arms as he looked up at him, cheeks dusted with melting snowflakes, his short dark curls slipping out from under a beanie that had nearly shifted off his head when they had fallen. "Yeah. You did." He answered breathlessly. "So... what is it that you want for you prize?"

"Mmmh, I think I'll come up with something." Chris murmured in response, lips twitching slightly before he leaned down, kissing Josh softly. It was unhurried, a gentle, warm pressure that had him smiling against the other.

Closing his eyes, Josh allowed himself to get caught up in the feeling of that moment. The snow was cold as it slid down under his jacket and seeped into the fabric of his pants, but Chris so wonderfully warm above him. Fingers took purchase in the fabric of the other's top most jacket, pulling the young man closer as they lay there lazily kissing each other in the snow.

"Hmm... I'm thinking maybe I should start letting you win, Cochise." Josh said softly against the other's mouth, so close that he technically hadn't even broken their kiss to speak. Slowly, his eyes slid open once more, the full force of his affection for the man above him laid out clear for Chris to see.

The finger's clenching Chris jacket slid up down, slowly rubbing gentle circles as he lay there, waiting and wondering what the blond might do next. Was this all he intended to take for his prize? Probably. It was Chris after all. Josh doubted his mind would realize that Josh was more then willing to do so much more right there in the snow. 

It was probably for the best actually. Snow wasn't exactly the best thing to be laying in for extended periods of time.

"We should get to the cabin." Chris whispered against Josh's lips, giving them another kiss just because he could. He was growing addicted way too quickly, and getting lost in each other while laying on the cold, wet ground would not be the best idea.

The last thing they needed was to get sick.

Breaking the embrace regretfully, Chris straightened up before offering the brunette his hand smiling. "We can resume cuddling when we're inside, and the fireplace is lit and we'll be all cliché and cute and warm."

"I dunno. I was starting to get pretty comfortable now that my ass has frozen over." Laughing merrily, Josh didn't release the other man's hand even after they were both standing, instead twining their fingers together and gently tugging Chris forward.

The trip to the cabin was uneventful after that, with Josh stopping only once to press a kiss to Chris' lips when they were standing atop the bridge overlooking the river. Just because. By the time the cabin was in sight Josh's steps had slowed down from their eager pace to a slow walk, his eyes glancing towards Chris every now and again as he tried to take in what the other man might be thinking.

The cabin was as pretty as he remembered it to be. Large yard and a path that would lead towards the mines, cozy porch where they had spent time as children and he knew what the inside would look like as well. A big fireplace and a couch, a small kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom. It was small and cozy, compared to the lodge.

Chris had always liked this place, even if there were no cell towers anywhere. "It's been a while since we came down here."

"Speak for yourself. I've had to come down here a million times over the past couple of days." Allowing Chris to slip his fingers into his pocket to retrieve the key, Josh's lips tilted into a playful, affectionate smile. "Glad to have you with me this time around though."

The door slid open easily, Josh reluctantly releasing Chris' hand so that the two of them could step inside. The cabin was cold, as was to be expected with the power off and no fire. It was exactly as how Josh had left it two days earlier when he had come to restock supplies and change the bedding. Which was good, albeit to be expected. The only person up on the mountain besides them was the mountain hobo and Josh suspected he lived either in the mines, Sanitorium or more realistically somewhere further down the mountain.

Closing the door with his foot, Josh dumped his bag in the little alcove nearby before moving to close the shutters and the window curtains. While he didn't expect anybody to be coming down here he also didn't want to risk any chances. He had Chris' modesty to preserve after all. 

"Right! You relax on the couch my dear, while I prepare our love shack for our love." Winking over to Chris, Josh's teasing tone was laced with his earlier giddiness. Despite the chill seeping into his legs from the dampness of his pants, Josh's steps were full of vigor as he all but danced around the cabin, closing off the windows and gathering the supplies they would need for their romantic snuggle session. 

Blankets and a box of matches in hand, Josh returned to the main living area to deposit the former atop the couch and make his way over to the fireplace with the latter. The logs by the fireplace were actually not technically wood, but some artificial thing that burned longer and gave off more heat, shaped and scented to resemble wood. That meant that they wouldn't need to use more then two or three to last them the night, which by extension meant that they wouldn't have to get up out of each other's arms and add more wood to the fire. It may not have been the full mountain cabin experience, but what Chris didn't know wouldn't hurt him when it came to simple things like this.

As the fire leapt into life it filled the cabin with a lovely red glow and a comfortable warmth. "Uggu uggu. Me make fire." Josh said in his best impression of a caveman, turning to Chris with a goofy expression on his face.

"You're such a dork." Chris laughed fondly, peeling the wet jacket off and placed it over one of the wooden chairs to dry. The fire threw the room into an orange glow, and while he knew it would take a while for the air around them to get warm, he had no doubt in his mind that Josh would have couple of ideas for them to remain warm while waiting.

"Yeah, but I'm YOUR dork and that makes all the difference." Josh responded easily, winking at Chris as he too moved to strip out of his jacket, setting it to rest on the chair next to the one Chris had used. His beanie followed, setting it down on the ground near the fireplace so that it would dry quicker and perhaps gain a bit of warmth. 

Without the jacket on to hide it, the dampness brought on by their playtime in the snow was made visible. The snow from the two attacks to Josh's neck had slid underneath his jacket and had left several very noticeable damp spots around his back and chest. It didn't help that Josh had chosen to only wear a single, albeit thick, red wool button up. Not to mention how damp his pants were, the dark brown, durable fabric having turned completely black and was now clinging to the back of his legs and ass uncomfortably as he moved.

Chris left his bag by the table after pulling out two bottles of beer, making his way over on the couch and sat on the corner with a satisfied sigh. Popping open the caps of the bottles, he handed the other over to Josh. "For a good night?" He offered grinning.

Slipping off his shoes so that his feet were covered in just a pair of thick woolen socks, the older man moved forward to take the offered beer with a grin, clinking it against Chris with a large grin. "To a wonderful night." He agreed, before taking a long sip. Beth had warned him not to overindulge himself like he had the first night, something he agreed with. He wanted to remain himself during their time up in the cabin after all, and booze had a tendency of heightening the side effects of his medication. 

Sitting down next to Chris and ignoring the chill brought on by the contact of his skin against his cold pants, he gently draped an arm around the other man's shoulder. "I hate to break it to you Cochise, but this is the only beer I will be sharing with you tonight. So we are going to have to make it count." It felt odd saying it. Josh had always been more then willing to indulge before, so no doubt this came as a surprise to Chris.

Unable to help himself Josh let out a laugh over the rim of his beer bottle. Chris' shocked expression was so cute it was hard not to. The way his blue eyes widened and the way his mouth had gone slack with the bottle half-way to his lips was precious, and it left Josh wanting to push the bottle aside and kiss him. He could have too. Yet he didn't and frankly Josh didn't even know why.

"You're still going to taste the champagne with me, right?" Chris asked leaning his head against Josh's shoulder, playing with the bottle absently. Now that they truly were there, now that they had privacy and nothing to stop them from.... exploring each other, Chris had to admit he was nervous.

"Of course, I wouldn't have brought it up here if I didn't plan on sharing it with you. I just... I want to actually be lucid tonight." Setting his beer down on the floor, Josh turned his full attention to the blond beside him. It wasn't hard to notice the fact that Chris seemed to have gotten very nervous all of the sudden, especially when he was so close that he could physically feel it. 

Gently, his hand moved to rest atop the bottle that Chris currently held in his hands, his gaze gentle and concerned. "What are you thinking about right now?" Pressing gently, Josh's mind once more jumped into the thought that maybe things were going too quickly. Chris had claimed earlier that he was fine, but that was then and this was now.

"Ah, it's... it's stupid, really." Chris replied quietly, avoiding Josh's gaze. He could not handle the concern in the brunette's eyes, and know he was the reason that look was there. He didn't want to make Josh worry, but voicing the thoughts that ate him felt stupid, like he should not have them in the first place.

One of the main points in relationships were communication, yet Chris struggled to find words that would tell Josh how he felt or what he thought.

"I suppose I'm just unsure." Chris finally replied, taking a long swallow from the bottle, staring at it determined. "Not about what I want, but... I worry it would not be good for you." He admitted, feeling his cheeks color with shame. "You've told me a lot about your experiences, and... fuck Josh, I have none. I'm basically a polar opposite to the people you usually sleep with. I worry I'm not going to be good enough for you, or that I mess up."

The fears weren't anything particularly new. In fact, they were about as cliché as doubts came in reference to a virgin entering a physical relationship with a more experienced partner. Yet there was a reason why clichés were so common and that was because they were realistic ways people handled situations. 

Pushing the bottle away from Chris' mouth, Josh gave into his desire to kiss the other man, firmly pressing their lips together in a kiss that was meant to draw Chris attention away from his shame and towards Josh. "I'm not going to lie here. First time is going to be absolute and utter shit. Probably the second time too, and maybe the third." He said softly, his dark eyes intense and filled with raw adoration for the man before him.

"I don't care about that though. Fuck, Chris... I... it's going to sound super, super corny but if it's you... it could be the worst sex in the world and I'd still feel more satisfied then I ever could with anybody else. Because..." It was Josh's turn to blush now, his eyes turning away as he bites at his lip. Everything about this felt so weird. Like they were two lovers at the climax of a romance movie and nothing happening right now was real. Except it was. 

"...because it's you. It's the guy I've spent years wanting. The guy who knows me and likes me even at my worst points. The guy who will come over with his 3DS and sits next to me and plays his games just to keep me company when I feel like all I want is to do lay in bed and never get out. Fuck, Chris you're the kind of guy who they write movies about. You're Tom Cruise telling my Renee Zellweger how much I mean to you in a crowded room filled with housewives and Chris... you had me at hello." The tear that fell from his cheek was accompanied by a smile and a laugh so awkward that Josh wondered what the hell he was thinking. "I want you Chris. I want you not because your hot, which you are, or because I think the sex will be incredible. I want you because I love you."

Chris' hand rose before he even had time to realize he had moved, a gentle touch brushing away the tear that had escaped Josh's eye. His thoughts were a mess, repeating those same words over and over again. Love. Josh loved him. Didn't like him, loved him. Which... was frankly saying both exhilarating and terrifying as fuck.

His worry about not being enough for Josh only grew, accompanied by the worry that he would do something wrong and hurt the older boy. Yet he desperately wanted to do right for him, wanted to prove that he could keep Josh's heart safe, and mend the scars that already danced across the surface.

"You're a walking cliché, have I ever told you that?" Chris finally got out, voice thick with emotion as he sunk his fingers into that dark hair and pulled Josh closer, pressing their lips in another kiss. The blond had never been as good with words as Josh was, so he tried to convey his emotions over to the other with the kiss. 

Relief, joy, understanding and love.

And being there, kissing that one person who made his life worth living... it made him realize he wasn't the one who had caught Josh. 

It was Josh who had caught him.

Tanned, thin fingers slid up to cup pale cheeks as Josh pressed his mouth against Chris', returning the kiss with a desperate aching passion. It was different then the kisses before. More needy and emotional. Shifting, Josh pulled a hand from the other man's cheek in order to pluck the beer from his fingers, setting it beside his own before moving to grab hold of Chris' waist, tugging him so that he was all but sitting in Josh's lap.

By now his eyes had fluttered close and his cheeks had taken on a dark red tint, mind blank save for the way Chris' lips felt against his own and the raw emotions that made any other thoughts impossible. Without thinking, his tongue darted out to run over the other man's bottom lip, tentatively tasting and searching for something Josh wasn't sure of.

Lips parted with a gasp under the swipe of tongue, fingers clenching in Josh's hair briefly before he met the touch tentatively. Kissing like this was wet, and Chris wasn't quite sure what to think about it just yet. Always willing to explore, he tilted his head slightly before deepening the kiss, following Josh's tongue back past his boyfriend's lips, curiously rubbing them together before proceeding to map Josh's mouth.

A groan was pulled from the older man's lips as his boyfriends fingers buried themselves in his hair. Chris' taste was intoxicating on his tongue, far more so then the beer that now lay abandoned on the ground nearby, though he could still sense a bitterness from the drink upon the younger man's lips. The grip on the other's waist tightened and Josh felt his body grow warm in anticipation.

Chris' mind was quickly fogged over by pleasure, a primal urge to be closer, to devour and be devoured the only things running through his head. Josh tasted absolutely divine, slightly bitter from the beer but underneath that there was something strong, something that reminded him of hazelnut. 

The sudden grab on his ass pulled him down against Josh and it tore a choked moan from his lips, fingers grabbing purchase from Josh's shoulders as he tipped his head back slightly, eyelids fluttering close, lips parted in pleasure.

His hips jerked slightly at the friction, and deeming it alright to move, ever so slightly pressed down against Josh, grinding their hips together. The pleasure had him shuddering, fingers clenching slightly, another gasp falling against Josh's lips.

Again Josh found himself unable to explore the other man's lips, however, this time it was because the other man's exposed throat just looked so much more appealing. Chris had practically presented him the pale flesh in a silver and gold line package after all. Pulling his mouth away from his best friend a possibly soon to turn lover's mouth, they made a slow decent down the other's jawline before nipping softly at the flesh below. 

The desire to mark the younger man only grew as Chris ground their hips together in an agonizingly slow pace that only served to stoke the growing fire in the wealthy young man's belly. "Fuck... Chris... what the hell are you doing to me?" He groaned hotly against his companions skin, trying desperately to keep his eyes open so he could watch more of those incredible faces his boyfriend was making, and when upon finally realizing it was a losing battle, closed them as he ran his tongue over the younger man's throat.

The salty tang of sweat hit his tongue, only furthering the waves of lust that was slowly sweeping him under. The fingers on Chris' ass splayed out only to once more grasp the flesh there, Josh's hip rolling up in time with the action and the other man's slow --so horribly, wonderfully slow-- grinding. Without thinking, he sunk his teeth into the flesh just between the other collarbone and Adam's apple, pulling another cry from Chris' lips. He hadn't bit down harshly enough to cause any lasting damage but certainly enough to draw a little blood and leave a large mark in the morning, tongue darting out to lap at the wound a second later, soothing the ache with gentle strokes and sucks of his mouth.

Josh wasn't exactly sure whether he was smirking or smiling. The sound that had been drawn out of Chris when his teeth had sunk into his flesh had been hot. Really hot. Which was why it was so disappointing that the blond had decided to stifle it by biting his lip. Moving his lips from the already existing mark, Josh took a moment to dart his tongue over the protruding bone at the other man's collar. 

"Don't hold back. I want to hear you. I wanna know that what I'm doing is making you feel good." As if to emphasize this point, he tugged the blonde's hips against his own in a firm, insistent motion that left them both seeing stars. 

"Fuck--!" Chris' head fell back as their hips pressed together again, the second nip that was placed on his throat tearing a hiss from his lips. The knowledge that Josh wanted to hear him, wanted to see the pleasure on his face was enough for Chris to relax slightly, and just to get his revenge on Josh, he ground his hips down a bit harder.

Fingers slid down Josh's shoulders and upper back, nails digging on his skin through the fabric of his shirt just to anchor himself on something. His breath was leaving him in fast pants of air, back arching slightly to press them further together. 

Yet it did not take long for his fingers to tug on Josh's shirt, the need to get even closer burning in his mind. "Need to get this off." He panted looking at the other, drawing his lower lip between his teeth. "Please?"

"Chris..." Letting out a breathless moan of the other man's name into his skin, Josh seared his eyes shut in an attempt to drown out some of the stimulation. Everything was moving so fast that Josh was having a hard time keeping it all together, his previous notion of going into this calm, collected and in control tossed right out the window. 

Pulling his face from the fairer man's neck, his dark eyes locked with those of the other before darting down to watch those bruised lips as they were worked between the other's teeth. For a second he watched as if entranced, before snapping out of his thoughts to give his long time friend turned lover what he hoped was a smooth, confident grin.

"Is that all you want off me, Cochise?" He teased, the brief respite enough for him to collect himself even further, his fingers moving to fumble with the buttons of his shirt eagerly. The sooner he got it off the sooner he could return the favor after all. 

The buttons of his shirt slipped open easily enough, though he did fumble on the first two before realizing that it was impossible for him to keep his eyes locked with Chris' and strip at the same time. It had been an unfortunate price to pay, but the moment he had unclasped the last one and the shirt had slid from his shoulders his eyes shot back up, lips pressing against Chris' in a softer kiss then the one they shared before. 

Slowly, his hands pried themselves from their previous locations, moving to grasp the other man's wrists and pressing the blonde's palms against the now exposed skin of his chest and shoulders. "You wanted me out of my shirt so you could touch right? Well go on, Columbus. There's a whole new world waiting to be discovered and it's all yours for the taking." Releasing Chris' wrists, Josh leaned back into the couch, his playful gaze watching the other male. 

As many times as he had seen Josh without a shirt, Chris still could not help the hitch of his breath as the shirt was shrugged off and the tanned skin was exposed for him to admire. His gaze darted up Josh's arms, trailed the line of his collar bone before slipping down his chest before following the trimmed happy trail that lead to the jeans that Chris was starting to hate more and more. 

Yet it was so different to be able to finally touch him, and he was thankful that Josh had pulled him close that way, fearing his nerves would have taken the best of him otherwise. With his hands pressed against Josh's chest, Chris swallowed before starting to explore the warm skin with curious fingers.

They slid across Josh's chest, lips parting in wonder when the other's stomach muscles jumped when his fingers ghosted over his navel. They traveled up Joshs' arms, only to rest on his neck for a moment before dipping lower, clearly hesitating a moment before brushing his thumb over one of the nipples. "...You're kind of gorgeous, bro." He teased breathlessly, trying to calm the erratic beat of his heart.

"Pot meet Kettle. The look on your face right now should be framed and hung in the Louvre because it's an absolute masterpiece." Josh whispered in response to Chris teasing observation, body shuddering as a small spark of pleasure shot through him as Chris thumb brushed over one of his nipples. As curious as the other might have been, Josh almost felt disappointed in himself over the fact that his nipples weren't particularly sensitive, as he was pretty sure the blond wanted something a little more intense than slight shiver he received.

Cracking an apologetic grin, he continued to softly run his fingers through the other's hair, careful of the bandage that was still there. "Most guys don't feel much there."

Raising a lazy eyebrow at the way the blond haired man seemed to respond to the information Josh had just given him, Josh couldn't help but grin. From the way Chris had reacted it seemed to suggest that maybe the blond would be the first of Josh's male partners to have some sensitivity there. It was a though that certainly interested the older of the two young men. 

"Remember the spot from a couple of days ago? Right along the bottom of my pecks? Try lightly running your thumb over them from the center of my chest towards my side. Guaranteed to get you the reaction you're looking for."

Focusing his attention on Josh's words rather than his own insecurity, Chris followed the instructions and gently pressed down under the pecks, dragging his fingers towards Josh's sides before repeating the movement with a bit more pressure. "Like this?" He asked softly, studying the expression on Josh's face.

"Y-yeah. Just like that. Less pressure though. Just ghosting over the skin..." The response was shaky as all hell, Josh's body still shivering from the sensation and squirming ever so slightly. Once more, he was reminded of the fact that Chris was far too clothed for what they were doing, and his hands moved to tug at the fabric. 

"Off. You're not the only one who wants to feel some man tiddy under their fingers."

"I don't think now is the good time to use baby language." Chris pointed out sighing, flashing the other a playful smile before pulling the shirt over his head.

The still chilly air around them caused him to shudder, and he was quick to press himself back close to Josh-- mostly because he was not sure if he could handle the brunette watching him like a lover would. 

"I don't know what you are talking about. Man tiddy is at the very apex of adult vocabulary." Leaning up to press a soft kiss against the other man's lip, Josh allowed himself to fall back against the couch. For the brief moment that he was given Josh allowed his gaze to run hungrily over the other males upper body, raking in each perfect inch of flesh like a starving man would a rack of lamb.

It was heartbreakingly disappointing that Chris didn't give him more time to ogle him, yet Josh could sense the nerves that there was something keeping the younger male from displaying himself. As disheartening as it was, Josh would let him keep his modesty for the time being. After all he had something that he wanted to test out.

Starting at the other's shoulders and slowly moving his way downwards, over the blonds sides and then over the expanse of his flat-ish stomach, Josh could feel the thin strands of chest hair brush against his fingertips and palms as he took his time worshiping his lovers upper body, his face burying in the crook of the blond man's neck and peppering soft kisses against the skin there. He had waited forever to be able to touch Chris like this. It was hard to believe that this was really happening and not some long, horribly wonderful dream that would leave him aching in all the worst ways come morning. 

"...if this is a dream... I never want to wake up." He mumbled softly, hands stopping to run slow circles over jutting of hip bone near the younger man's waist before moving on once more towards their final destination. He had spent the whole time avoiding the spot that he was most curious about, and now that he had mapped out everything else he finally allowed himself to get to the heart of his interest. Finger's slid up the center line of Chris' stomach, past his navel and that lovely dark blond trail that Josh would pay special attention to later but not at the moment, up over his pectorals, resting them there as he smirked against his boyfriends skin.

"Chris. I think I figured out one of your weak-points. It'll be a first for me for sure, but if I'm right this is about to get really fucking hot."

Chris knew what was coming as soon as the words had left Josh's mouth. Having no time to prepare himself for the touch, the sudden pinch on both of his nipples had Chris jerking slightly, his back arching as he pressed his chest closer to Josh's hands. A gasp was lost against his lover's lips, Chris' eyelids fluttering slightly before he gave the other an embarrassed, nearly sheepish look.

"S-Suppose I'm not your 'average' man then, huh?" 

Eager for more of those reactions, Josh offered the younger man above him a wicked little grin in response to his question before pulling a bit harder. "Dude, you have no idea how much I'm going to wreck you right now." Licking his own lips, he gave Chris a quick kiss before trailing his mouth downwards, dragging his teeth slowly over the expanse of his boyfriends neck. Finger's gently twisted and pulled the sensitive dusky nubs, rolling them between the pads of his thumb and pointer finger before tugging, the motion getting more and more forceful with each 'lap'. 

Chris' couldn't help the small noises of pleasure that Josh kept pulling from him, his entire body slowly starting to tense and tremble the longer his lover kept playing him. While the tugs were gentle at first, slow rubs and slow pulls, they had gained more power, rubbing and pinching in a way that it had his nipples burning pleasantly.

It would leave them red and raw, and he'd definitely feel it tomorrow.

The bite tore another keen from his lips, fingers dragging down Josh's chest as his hips rocked down in a more desperate manner than before. "It takes more than this to wreck me." Chris panted opening his eyes to look at the brunette, lips curling in a teasing smile.

Chris found himself flat on his back before he even had time to realize Josh had moved them. 

He had seen the darkened eyes of his boyfriend get a hint of determination before he had been flipped over, his mind still trying to keep up with what was going on before their hips were pushed back together and Chris threw his head back with a cry of pleasure.

With his legs spread, body laying underneath Josh's own, he felt surprisingly vulnerable and completely at the other's mercy. He was quick to realize he loved it.

His legs shifted, wrapped around the brunette above him, pulling him closer just when Josh's lips wrapped around his nipple. The pleasure he felt was unlike anything he had felt before. It was hot, searing hot, it had his toes curling and back arching as his fingers shot up and curled in Josh's hair. His eyes slammed shut, lips parting in a ragged inhale as he shuddered and tilted his head back, Adam's apple bobbing with every swallow.

"Oh god--"

Pulling away from the nipple in his mouth with a sharp popping noise, Josh briefly ran his tongue over it as his hands pulled away from where they had been roaming his boyfriend's sides. "Fuck. Chris... we gotta get out of these clothes... if I can't touch you I'm going to freaking lose it." Choking the words, Josh took a moment to emphasize what he was saying by giving a shockingly well placed thrust against his boyfriend, their cocks hitting one another through their pants in a way that had Josh gasping.

"Please." Finger's slid downwards, coming to hook through the belt loops of the other man's jeans closest the crotch, tugging softly even as he continues to grind against his boyfriend. The sheer and utter want in his eyes is only dimmed by the absolutely adoration that he feels for the other male at that moment.

"You're so impatient." Chris teased breathlessly, bucking his hips up for good measure which had him shuddering before his hands went down, tugging on the button of his jeans.

Yet he lifted an eyebrow at the brunette, lips curling in an amused smile. "I kind of need you to get off me so I can get these off." He pointed out, rocking his hips against Josh's, a slow roll of hips meant to tease both of them further.

Letting out a slow, low groan as the younger man teasingly ground them together, Josh managed to push himself away from the other with a visible amount of effort. Shifting back a bit to give Chris some space, his own hands moved down to the button and zipper of the dark brown mountain climbing pants that covered his own lower body. Before he could even bother to think of a response to the other man's earlier teasing he was tugging the garment open and then off his legs, tossing it off to the side so that he now half-knelt on the couch in nothing but a pair of black silk boxer shorts, the little picture of Darth Vader's silhouette in white at the corner so completely Josh.

Without his pants, the full effect Chris had on Josh was as clear as day. The dark fabric was heavily tented, with the slightest bit of dampness where the head of his cock pressed against the fabric. The garment left little to the imagination as the silk rested tightly against his heated flesh and despite the smirk on his face Josh couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. It was the first time Chris would be looking at him. REALLY looking at him.

Maybe it was the smile that donned Chris' lips when he caught sight of little Darth Vader on his boxers. Maybe it was the way that Chris took the time to gently run his fingers over his thigh in a way that made the skin tingle pleasantly. Maybe it was just the sight of the other male equally as nervous as he was as he stripped himself of his jeans. Regardless, the anxiety melted away into a strange contentment and a surge of confidence that had a wide smile donning Josh's face.

Glad to finally have a chance to fully take in the sight of his lover, Josh drank in the sight of the blonde as if he were a tall glass of water and the brunette had just spent the past seven hours traveling in the hot desert sun. Thin blond hair littered the other man's pale skin, a sharp contrast to Josh who only had noticeable hair on his legs and lower stomach. With the subtleness of three year old, Josh's gaze found itself following a particularly thick line of hair down the blonde's navel an into the waistband of his boxers, licking his lips at the sight of the cock that lie underneath the fabric.

Shifting in closer, a shaky moan escaped his lips as Chris' fingers brushed over that spot on his chest that left him shuddering, his own hands moving to rest on pale thighs, fingers idly tracing circles into flesh that only he had touched before. "God Chris. You're stunning." He mumbled, leaning over the blond to press a soft kiss to his lips, the fire in his system now set to a low simmering flame. 

For a while he just let himself remain like that, inched up so that he lie between the other's legs, hands rubbing circles into Chris' thighs as he peppered gentle kisses against his lip. They were at another one of those weird in-between points, where the earlier passion had faded into something more tender and emotionally intimate. Yet Josh didn't mind in the slightest. This was nice in its own way after all. 

Eventually, the urge to move on grew too strong to ignore and with a glimmer of reluctance Josh pulled his mouth away from his partners. "I'm... I'm going to be honest here. I've never gone all the way with a guy before. I've done some things... but..." Chewing at his bottom lip, Josh couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was supposed to be the experienced one, showing Chris the way into a world of pleasure and butt-sex. "I'm fine with whatever you want to do. Whether just stroking you off or one of us pounding the other into the couch. For me, tonight is about making you feel good. Anything else is just extra frosting on the cake."

"Dude, no. It's not just about me, that'd be selfish. This is supposed to be about us, right?" Chris asked tugging Josh down, pressing another kiss on those pink lips. It was supposed to be about them, about learning and enjoying each others company. "So let's just... see where this goes, alright? Go with what feels right." The blond added smiling, thighs trembling slightly at the light touches placed on them.

Smiling against his boyfriends lips, a surge of soft laughter welled up and erupted from Josh's throat. "You are too cute, you know that?" Eyes twinkling in delight over his lovers sweet response, Josh had to admit he really should have expected that kind of response. As romantic a notion as it was for him to just spend the night worshiping the other man's body it didn't exactly suit either of them. At least, not right now. There would be a day when Josh would be more insistent on the issue and he was fairly certain that Chris would want a day to do the same. Right now, however, Chris was right. Today was about them.

"Alright, but tell me Chris. What do you think 'feels right'?" Grinning wickedly, Josh moved his face away to nip softly at the younger man's jaw, playfully teasing his partner. "Does this feel right?" He asked against the other man's skin as his hands stopped their gentle circles to slowly creep upwards towards the other man's boxers, fingers hooking into the underside of the fabric through the leg holes.

Once more, his lips descended down over his lovers neck, stopping to suck forcefully upon Chris' Adam's apple before moving on. Finger's continued upwards as Josh's head moved down, coming to splay out over the still clothing covered crease where thigh met crotch, rubbing the indent there as his lips wrapped around a still heavily bruised nipple, teasing it before flashing his boyfriend another grin. "What about this? Does this feel right?" Tilting his head to give the other nipple a gentle flick of his tongue he did bother to wait for a response as his lips traveled lower, peppering kisses over the other man's stomach and slowly sliding his way down the other's body before coming to stop at his navel, dipping his tongue in with yet another teasing glance upwards.

A part of him wanted him to vocally ask for permission. Or at least give some kind of verbal warming about his intentions. Yet another part, the part that wanted to make the blond squirm and quiver in surprise and pleasure, made him toss that right out the window. If Chris had wanted him to stop by now he would have said something, especially when it was so clearly obvious where Josh's mouth was headed. So instead of saying anything he merely gave his boyfriend a wink, allowing him to shuffle onto his elbows as Josh's followed Chris' happy trail down to his clothing clad erection, a hand moving the leg trapped against the couch's back over his shoulder. 

From this close the scent of Chris' arousal was intense, even through the fabric of the techie's boxers. Josh could make out every tiny curvature of the hot, hard flesh, following the line of from the head down to the scrotum with his eyes and feeling the radiating heat. Without thinking, he let out a small moan as his mind jumped towards what it would feel like to have it in his mouth and taste it on his tongue. Was Chris sweet or bitter? No doubt he would be salty, but would it be an intense saltiness or mild? 

Sucking a cock was not a new thing for Josh. He hadn't exactly been lying to Chris when he said he knew how to handle a pipe. Yet for some reason, as he sat there about to orally pleasure the man he was absolutely smitten with, he couldn't help but feel just a tad bit nervous. Yet when his eyes darted up and he caught sight of Chris watching him, glasses askew and face redder then it had ever been in the blonds life, he immediately realized that it would be fine. It wasn't about how good it felt. It was about doing it together.

"How about this? Does this 'feel right'?" Smirking, he finally closed the distance between his mouth and the other's erection, lips pressing against the area where pre-cum had dampened the blue into a dark navy, tasting the salty flavor and feeling the head of his boyfriends cock against his lips. He would tease Chris for a bit through his boxers, waiting until he was begging before actually removing the garment. At least, unless Chris' reaction was intense enough to make Josh's thin grip on his concentration snap, in which case he was pretty sure those boxers would be off and that cock in his mouth in a matter of seconds.

"J-Josh..."

"I'll take that as a yes." Was the breathless, teasing response to the younger man's reaction to the stimulation. It took every bit of effort to rip his eyes away from his partner's face and towards the cock he was currently lavishing his attention on, knowing that if he continued to watch the blond he would certainly lose it. Still, the younger man's reaction to even this was an incredible boost to his ego and the darker skinned youth couldn't help but smile.

Josh's lips followed the other's erection in slow, deliberate little movements, inching his way down the rigid flesh and pressed butterfly kisses at the most sensitive points. He could feel the cotton growing damp, sticking to Chris skin when he pressed the flat of his tongue against that concentration of nerves where the glans met the shaft, teasing it with the tip of his tongue, which Josh knew from experience to be without a doubt a place to touch if he wanted his lover to moan. 

Confident enough with the time he had spent teasing the younger male, he allowing his eyes to drift back to Chris' face, offering him a soft smile as he pulled his mouth away so that he could nuzzle his cheek against the blonde's cock. "I'm going to take these off. Lift up your hips for me, okay?" Tugging at the hem of his boyfriends boxers he waited patiently for the blond to register what he had just said.

Chris barely registered the words the brunette told him, only coming back to reality when Josh tugged on his boxers and the blond lifted his hips up out of instinct. The wet fabric was peeled down, cock slapping against his hip as soon as it was freed, leaving a wet smear of precome on his skin. 

Completely exposed now, he couldn't help but fall down on his back, lifting his hands up covering his face embarrassed. His chest tightened with nerves and anticipation, lips parted in quiet pants of air.

Softly, one of Josh's hands moved up from where they had settled upon Chris' hips, gently grabbing one of his partner's wrists. "Chris? Are you okay? Come on, there is nothing about you or what I'm about to do to you that you should hide your face from." 

"I'm fine." Chris reassured him, allowing the other to pull his hand down from his face, revealing how flustered he was. "This is just a tad overwhelming, you know? I've known you all my life, man. And now we're in a situation I never thought we'd be in. Not that I don't want to, I really do." He added quickly, just in case Josh would get the wrong idea. "It's just... surreal."

His lips curled in a small smile, and he brought Josh's fingers closer pressing light kisses on his knuckles. "Kind of feels too good to be true, you know?"

"Y-yeah. I was just thinking the same thing actually. About how surreal this all is." Josh admitted with a small shrug, the pointer finger of his free hand rubbing idle circles against his boyfriend hip bone.

"Like... I'm half-expecting to wake up and find out this is all just some dream I'm having the night before we leave for the mountain. Like everything going on right now is just the best case scenario of how things could go. Minus the whole head injury and mountain hobo scaring my blue jeans into brown jeans." Letting out a small chuckle, he shook his head. "It's exactly the type of dream I would have too. Far too detailed and no doubt something I'd want to continue when I wake up." Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to the blonde's thigh, nuzzling his face against the soft skin and hairs.

"I'm too nervous right now for it not to be real, though. I'm never nervous in my dreams." Grinning, the dark haired male looked up catch the blond's eyes. "So, with that established. I'd appreciate it if you gave me your undivided attention while I worship this lovely cock of yours." 

It was a lovely cock, too. Not too big and not too thick, with a prominent vein that Josh could clearly make out from underneath the pale skin. The circumcised head was dribbling clear fluid and Josh couldn't help but eagerly lick his lips as he imagined once more what it would feel like in his mouth. Pressing one final kiss to his boyfriends thigh, he slid up to softly press a kiss to the swollen head, tongue darting out to gently lap at the pre-cum before pressing his lips firmly against the other's cock. 

For a time he only mirrored what he had done above Chris' boxers, easing up whenever he believed that the stimulation might be too much. Without even realizing it, his own eyes had slid shut, a look of bliss and pleasure on his face that probably only made things harder for the virginal blond man. He couldn't have helped it though. Chris tasted incredible and things were only going to get more heated as time went on.

Slowly opening his eyes, Josh could feel his breath catch in his throat as he watched Chris' face as he teased him with his mouth. They way the younger man's face was flushed in pleasure, mouth open as he let out moans that sent sparks of heat straight down to Josh's own neglected cock was enough to make him groan softly against the other's skin. He could feel the way the blonde's thighs twitched as the other male strained to keep himself from bucking into the touch and he could taste his building excitement on his tongue.

The hand that Chris still clutched somehow found its way to twine their fingers together, squeezing it softly as he tried to draw his partners gaze back to him. He wanted the other to keep his eyes open and gaze on him as he did this and Josh wasn't above reminding him of that fact every now and then. Shifting just a little bit to relieve a bit of the tension in his loins, the brunette grinned up at his lover, giving the head a single, slow, circling swipe of his tongue. 

Waiting until Chris' eye were locked onto his, Josh gave him one last teasing wink before he took the straining cock he had been playing with into his mouth, immediately groaning at the sensation of hard, hot flesh in his mouth. It was everything that Josh had hoped it would be, if not more, and it took every bit of him not to pull his hands free and start playing with himself. Chris tasted like sweat and skin and something that Josh couldn't quite place, and the way he twitched in his mouth as he hollowed his cheeks and sucked made the older man shiver. Not to mention the smell, which was musky enough to make his knees feel weak.

The hand on Chris' hips returned to its gentle circling ministrations, easing the blond into things as the brunette began to slowly bob his head up and down. Never once did his eyes leave those of his boyfriend, though they did flutter closed every now and then when a moan was ripped from his lip, sensation rippling across the flesh in mouth.

Chris returned the squeeze just as tightly, holding on Josh's hand like his life depended on it. Pleasure mounted quickly the more Josh teased him, drawing him deeper in his mouth which tore a choked cry from the blond's lips. The noise only grew more desperate when Josh started sucking, the wet heat enveloping him completely in a way that left him breathless.

His gaze was fixed on his lover, even if he wanted to just close them and let the pleasure wash over him completely. The sight presented for him was sinful, pink lips stretched around him, lewd moans around him causing him to tremble. His free hand slid down, brushing against his boyfriend's cheek before tangling in Josh's hair.

The lack of gag-reflex had caught Chris by surprise. He had prided himself for being able to keep a hold of his control up until that moment. As the heat enveloped him completely and the brunette _swallowed_ around him and that combined with Josh still pleasuring him with his tongue and by hollowing his cheeks while he sucked, Chris had no opportunity to even try to hold back anymore.

The pleasure slammed on him hard enough to punch the air out of his lungs, his back arching as he finally released his hold of Josh's hand and sunk it in the brown hair as well, holding on for dear life. A ragged cry of pleasure was torn from parted lips, Chris' thighs quivering as his cock twitched before he was cumming hard enough for him to go momentarily blind.

His chest was heaving, covered in thin layer of sweat as the strength left him and he slumped down on the couch gasping, trying to form a coherent word yet could only release a tiny whimper. 

Fuck. 

That had ended way too quickly, embarrassingly so. 

Another flush of shame rose on his cheeks as he groaned, tongue darting out to lick his dry lips. "I didn't mean to... are you alright?"

The hand not currently twined around his own dick moved to rest at the base of his lover's, holding it as Josh pulled away from the now flaccid cock with a soft pop and a lick of his lips. While most of it had gone down his throat, there was still a lingering taste of the Chris' seed at the head, and not wanting to leave the blond untidy he took the moment to gently wipe it off with his finger, careful to not overstimulate the man below him. 

"Are you kidding? I love the taste of cherry tomatoes."

The pun drew another groan from Chris' lips, this one more of amusement and disbelief rather than pleasure. Trust Josh to turn the whole situation back into easy banter after having his lips wrapped around his cock only seconds before. His heart was still hammering in his chest, pounding in a way Chris feared it would jump out at any given moment. Still, he reached out brushing his fingers through Josh's hair before tugging him down so they could rest their foreheads together.

He did not need to voice how good that experience had been for him. He was sure Josh could easily read it from his expression.

"Need a hand?" He teased lightly after couple of moments of silence, nudging Josh lightly as soon as he found strength to do so and the aftershocks of the pleasure left his body. Without waiting for an answer, Chris let his hand slide down his boyfriend's chest, ghosting over that sensitive spot close to his ribcage before slipping even lower. At first, his fingers only ghosted over Josh's cock, learning the shape and size with his hand. It felt hot and heavy, the dampness of the fabric causing him to grin slightly even if he also felt a tad nervous and worried that he would fuck this up.

After he grew comfortable with the feeling, his hand slipped underneath the waistband of Josh's boxers, fingers curling around his cock, giving him a slow stroke.

Face flushing and words distorting into a rather loud moan as the blonde's fingers slipped past the waistband of his boxers to wrap around his shaft, there was a brief moment where Josh lost his control and bucked sharply into his partner's touch. After three desperate movements he seemed to settle down however, biting sharply into his lip as he clenched his eyes shut. 

It felt good. Incredible even. While Chris clearly had no skill in what he was doing, the mere fact that Chris was the one stroking him made him all too aware of every little movement. Combined with the lingering taste of Chris in his mouth and it was an experience that Josh could have only dreamed of.

"Don't hold back." Chris echoed Josh's earlier words, grinning up at the older man. "I want to hear you when I bring you pleasure." 

"You cheating... cheater. You can't use my words against me." Letting out a breathless laugh, Josh leaned down to press a kiss to his boyfriends lips. It certainly wasn't his best comeback, but when you have a hand around your dick you don't tend to think very well on your feet. 

Shuffling a bit more, Josh moved to bring one arm to very awkwardly wrap around the blonde's neck, fingers reaching up to tangle in Chris' hair as he pulled away from their kiss. There was little to no point in keeping his cool anymore, not when he knew that Chris could physically FEEL him losing it, so he decided to let the techie have his fun.

His hips once more began to move on their own accord, following the blonde's stroke as pleasure flooded the tanned man's body. When Chris pulled back the foreskin of his cock to rub at the sensitive glans, smearing his pre-cum over his fingers and making things so wonderfully slick Josh could swore he let out a gasp of Chris' name that would be loud enough to reach the cabin and he knew he was lost.

The pace quickened and Josh's cock throbbed in his lover's hand, fluid gushing from the tip in a steady flow and adding to the incredible friction as it was smeared with each firm stroke. Desperate for something to keep him grounded and prolong the inevitable, Josh reached out to cling to anything and everything with his free hand, grasping on for only a moment before losing it as a particular touch had him squirming.

"Fuck. Chris. Fuck." The words had begun spilling out as a mantra, the longer Chris worked him to less articulate Josh became in moans, until it was only the other's name and the singular colorful word that he could manage past his lips.

Spots shot against Josh's eyelids as he felt the other man's teeth sink into his skin, but it was moan against the wound and the way Chris' fingers brushed over the head of his cock in just the right angle that had Josh seeing stars. His hips rutted almost violently into the younger man's hand as warmth splashed across his belly, Chris' fingers and the inside of his boxers, before his body went slack.

Without the strength to keep himself upright Josh's previous attempts to keep himself from falling flat over his lover were in vain as that was exactly what happened, unfortunately trapping his slightly shorter lover underneath him, though thankfully there seemed to be enough wiggle room for Chris to comfortable work his arm free if he tried. As for Josh, his limbs felt simultaneously weightless and heavier then a load of bricks and even the act of breathing left him shivering in the afterglow of his orgasm. 

There was a slight stinging sensation that told him that Chris was still working on leaving a mark on him, a fact that amused Josh greatly. Tomorrow he would make sure he wore a low collar shirt to show it off, no doubt to the amusement of the other's and the slight embarrassment of Chris. 

For a long moment the room was silent save for the soft panting that escaped their lips, however, something lingered in the air that seemed to suggest Josh's hazy mind was planning something. Something that would either make Chris cringe or burst out laughing. 

Unfortunately for Chris, there was a much higher chance of the former then the latter.

"...I'm think with fingers like those I'm going to start getting jealous of your phone dude."

If his hand had been free, Chris was sure he'd either facepalm himself or smack the back of Josh's head. As it was, he had to settle with a disbelieving snort and an amused smile. "Well maybe one day I can play you as well as I play with my phone." He replied grinning teasingly, finally wriggling his hand out of Josh's boxers as the position grew uncomfortable for him.

Seeing the white release on his fingers sparked a curiosity within the blond, and he hesitated a moment before bringing them to his lips, tongue flickering out to lick over one of his fingers. The salty, bitter taste exploded on his tongue, causing him to scrunch his nose a bit. While it was not something he had expected, in the end it was not that bad. Perhaps something he'd need time to get used to.

"I would have warned you that it wasn't the best taste. I'll eat some pineapple next time. Apparently it is supposed to make it sweet."

"It's fine." Chris chuckled, his other arm sliding around Josh's body the best it could-- the couch was not one of the biggest one they've laid on, but they still managed. "It's you. I'll get used to it." He added, lips wrapping over his finger as he licked the cum slowly, savoring the bitter taste the best he could.

It was just something he'd learn to appreciate.

Slowly he cleaned each one of his fingers until they were wet with his saliva, and Chris could still taste Josh on his lips. So focused he had been on his task that when he turned to look at Josh, he was slightly taken aback by the look in his eyes. "What?"

"You can't be serious. Even you have to be aware of what you just did." Was the breathless response to the other's question. "You can't just lay there sucking my cum off your fingers and then look at me like you had no idea what you were doing." He added, only to realize from the shocked look in Chris' eyes that his boyfriend indeed had no idea what he had been doing. 

"You're something special, man." Shaking his head with a small chuckle, Josh carefully pulled himself off the blond. While his limbs still felt just a tad bit heavier then they should, there was no possible way that he could stay there any longer without ravishing his younger lover. There was also the matter of his now uncomfortably cold and damp boxers and the small white puddle on the techie's stomach. 

"I'm going to grab something to wash us off and get out of these," his hand gestured towards his soiled boxers,"-before they get gross. Don't miss me too much while I'm gone." A swift, gentle kiss and a wink, and Josh pulled himself from the couch, leaving Chris to lay there with a content if flushed expression.


	11. Chapter 11

Now that the heat of moment was over, Chris was not sure how to behave. How did others behave after this? Probably go to sleep, but seeing how it was still an early evening with the sun just having disappeared beneath the trees, he knew they would not go to sleep for at least couple of hours.

"I could go for those Beth's sandwiches right now." He stated, his stomach growling in agreement which had the younger man turning a light shade of red.

"As you wish." Slipping from where he was leaning against the couch, Josh stepped towards the kitchen only to remember that he still hadn't taken the sandwiches from his bag. Figuring that Chris would realize it too, Josh didn't bother to explain why he headed back to the bedroom, instead merely doing so with a nod in his boyfriends direction. 

The bag was exactly where he left a minute earlier and it took him no time to pull out the aforementioned food items as well as a couple of other things he had packed for them to make dinner with. It was just as he was about to close the bag up when his eyes caught sight of something he had forgotten he had packed.

His little black book. 

The black book had ironically been something his mother had insisted that he and his sisters kept when they had gotten to the age where they were interested in such things. She had said that while she would not stop them from exploring their bodies and sexuality that she at least wanted them to always be aware enough of themselves and their partners that they could do so safely. The first and last name of each person they had a sexual experience with was to be written in their respective book along with the date and a little box that would be check marked to show that they were tested and clean afterwards.

Without thinking he shoved it on top of the rest of the things before heading back to the kitchen and dumping them all out onto the counter. "Sandwiches are here! Come and get them!"

He could see Chris' gaze dart over to the book as he arrived, surprise mixing with worry as the blond took a seat by the table. Josh had mentioned about the once when Chris had found the book couple of years back, and it was clear that the blond still remembered what it was.

While Chris did not believe he was just a 'lay' or a 'conquest', he couldn't help but cringe at the thought of having his name added on the list of many other people. 

"...Your sister makes the best sandwiches." Chris stated around the mouthful of bread, directing the attention away from the book.

"Yeah. The way she stacks tomatoes between the cheese and deli-meat is just sublime." Josh replied with a small chuckle as he held up the sandwich in his hand, only for one such tomato to slip out of it and onto the table. Yes, Beth was a master chef indeed. 

Subdued laughter spilled from his lips, dark fingers moving to pluck the tomato up and redeposit it onto his meal, which he quickly finished before anymore of the contents decided to take an adventure. It wasn't until he was left without anything to keep himself busy with that he was forced to turn his attention towards the black book.

"...I...well... I thought you deserved to look at it if you wanted." Was the awkward explanation as to why he had brought it out. "Being honest about that kind of stuff is supposed to be important to a relationship right?"

"I suppose, but are you sure?" Chris asked throwing the empty wrapper in the bin before glancing back at the book. Truthfully he was curious about what he'd find, yet the thought also terrified him. Did he truly want to know whom Josh had laid with? The book was obviously important to Josh, so declining could hurt the older man's feelings. With a last glance at Josh and receiving the tiniest nods in return, he picked up the book slowly and opened it.

What surprised him was the neat way Josh had written down the names, followed by what he had done with them, followed by the date he had been tested and declared clean. Some of the names surprised him, like Mary Lemmet who had been at least four years older than they were. He turned several pages, finding the first mentions of the males Josh had been with. Handjobs and blowjobs, just like the brunette had told him.

"...I'm assuming you're going to add me there as well."

When the book was handed back to him Josh took it, biting his lips at the question as he refused to meet Chris' gaze. "...Yeah." He knew the idea might have been upsetting to Chris, but he it had to be done. The book wasn't just a promise to his mother but something for Josh's own peace of mind as well. That didn't mean that he couldn't make sure that the blond had a special place in it however. 

The pen that was always inside of the book felt heavy in his hand, the noise it made when he clicked it to draw out the inked edge sounding twice as loud in the tense atmosphere. As did the sound of the pages as he flipped the book all the way to the very last page. The white paper was clear and void of markings, even the slightly raised sections that came from writing on pages above it were absent it was so far past others. 

Chris  
X/X/XX  
Gave: Blowjob. Swallowed. Also gave markings that resulted in very small consumption of blood.  
Given: Handjob. Later cleaned his hand orally. Gave marking that resulted in very small consumption of blood.  
Partner History Notes: Partner is a virgin with no history of blood transfusions or alternative methods of contracting diseases. It is safe to assume partner is completely clean.  
Additional Experiences: TBA when necessary. 

Looking up at Chris, he offered the book back to him, eyes searching for the blonde's reaction to the information.

"Why did you write this on the last page?" Chris asked curiously after having read the text, glancing up from the book back to his lover. "Now there's a bunch of empty pages in between, doesn't that bother you?"

"I'm not really planning to open it up again. Now that we're together it isn't like I'm going to be writing anymore names in there. Only make sense to put the last lover I intend to take on the last page." 

It felt kind of cheesy admitting it out loud. 

"Would you rather I put your name closer to the front? I can if the idea of being on the last page makes you feel uncomfortable." 

It wasn't like what he had written had been bad. If anything it had been so insanely lacking in personality that Chris might have been reading one of Josh's medical reports. For a second Josh debated adding a bit of flair to it. Maybe writing 'Makes cutest expression when I press my tongue against the base of his cock' or '10/10 would spend the rest of my life with'.

Lowering the book on the table, Chris suddenly pushed himself away from the table and walked over to Josh. Not giving the other a chance to react, he kissed the older man hard, fingers fisting in his boyfriend's hair. 

Joy, love and excitement coursed through his body and mind, lips curling in a smile against Josh's before he pulled back panting, his cheeks flushed. 

He wanted. He needed the brunette, it was an itch and want that kept growing the more he thought about the other. The one who pretty much just told him he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him.

"...I want you to fuck me, Josh."

For a long moment, Josh sat there, mouth agape, cheeks flushed red and eyes wide in surprise at what had just been asked of him. Words flowed through his mind and yet none escaped his lips.

Chris wanted him to fuck him. Chris wanted to have sex. Sex was a thing that Chris wanted to be doing right now. With him. 

"You want me to... fuck you?" He echoed, cock already twitching in interest at the thought.

"That's what I said." Chris replied lifting an eyebrow teasingly, fingers brushing against Josh's thigh. "Think that's something you can handle?"

"...I'm pretty sure I can rise to the challenge." Josh stood slowly, a hand moving to take Chris and giving it a firm squeeze as his lips met those of his partner in a slow, searing kiss. 

It took him a good couple of seconds to realize that it would probably be a good idea to make their way into the bedroom and by then his eyes had already darkened several shades in lusty excitement. "I'm going to give you a trip to the bone-zone you won't ever forget." He murmured softly against Chris' lips, not giving him a chance to respond before turning and gently tugging him to the bedroom. 

It wouldn't have come as much of a surprise to Chris to see that the bed was hardly made to hotel standards. Josh had never been a particularly cleanly person and his own bed tended to be constantly in a state of disarray, so it went without saying that his ability to make a bed wasn't the greatest. Still, he had at least tried to make is presentable and when he gently maneuvered them both onto the bed, Josh once more settling between Chris' legs, the blankets and sheets didn't slide off the bed.

Josh wasted no time in pulling off the sash of his own robe, letting the item drop off the side of the bed to be quickly followed by the robe itself. Yet as his fingers reached for Chris' he hesitated, eyes watching the blond curiously. "You absolutely sure on this? Because man... once we get started I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to stop..."

Chris' gaze once again traveled across Josh's skin, fixing on the darker bruise on his neck before smiling. "I'm sure. There's no one else I trust as much as you." Chris said truthfully, tilting his head back a bit. "Now are you going to do it or am I supposed to prepare myself?"

While he certainly enjoyed the idea of preparing Chris himself, the image brought forth at the mention of Chris doing it himself was far too tantalizing to ignore. Leaning forward, the brunette's gaze was dark and lusty as he ran his tongue over the shell of the younger man's ear, voice husky and far deeper than it had been moments before. "I want to see you do it. I want to see how you've been pleasuring yourself when you thought about me at night." Another swipe of his tongue and a nip to Chris' earlobe and Josh was pulling away, hands pulling his back over and plucking the bottle of 'Gun Oil' from his bag. 

Sure, it wasn't necessarily the one that Josh would have chosen for a first time anal experience, but it was a good solid silicone lubricant that was condom safe and on hand. He hadn't exactly come here expecting to be having sex after all, so the fact that he even had it at all was a miracle. It would have been really awkward to have to ask Mike for lube and even more awkward to ask one of his sisters if they had it around the lodge. Worst still would have been having to go down the mountain for it. 

Setting the bottle into Chris' hand, he gave the other male a wink before falling back to sit on his knees. "Alright, Sally Bowles. I'm ready for the show."

The sound of the cap opening was loud in the silence, Chris' heart hammering as he squirted the lube on his fingers before he swallowed and traced the now slick fingers down his chest. The lube felt cold against the abused nipples, drawing a quick inhale from his lips before he spread his legs slightly, eyelids fluttering close. He could not handle seeing Josh watch him like this. 

The first press against his rim had the blond squirming a bit, chest heaving slightly with each quick breath before he worked the finger in slowly, a low groan escaping his lips.

"Damn. You're really swallowing it up huh?" Josh suddenly asked with breathless wonder, lips curling into a grin. 

The sudden words caused heat to explode on Chris' face, the slight mortification of it all causing him to release an embarrassed noise from the back of his throat. Yes, there was a slight discomfort and burn from the stretch, but it was nothing he could not handle. And the fact that Josh saw it all sent mixed signals through his head. 

The touch on his thigh however helped him calm down again, releasing the tension with his next exhale before he started thrusting the finger slowly, the tip of his middle finger rubbing the rim in a way his cock twitched and hardened further. "L-Like what you see?"

"It's incredible." Was the quick and easy response to the question. It was incredible. It was the most incredibly hot thing that Josh had ever seen in his life. The sight before Josh was almost dream-like in how close it played to his fantasies. The way Chris lie between his legs, finger slowly working in and out of his body, cock growing steadily harder as the sensation of being watched filled the blond with a surge of shame driven lust. He could see the way his lover clench his face up in concentration, glasses falling down that adorably blocky nose and the way Chris' tongue darted over his lips as he tried to hide his obvious shyness had Josh biting down on his own lip. "You're going to need more than just one if you plan on taking my cock though."

"I'm working on it." Chris panted tongue darting out to lick his lips once again, head tilting back a bit before he slowly eased the second finger past the muscles.

The burn was sharper this time, brows furrowing slightly in discomfort as he ceased all movement to give himself time to get used to the stretch. He buried his nose against Josh's shoulder, breathing in his scent with a content noise.

"Relax. Deep breaths." Josh whispered soothingly into the other man's ear, moving a free hand to gently take hold of the other's neglected cock, giving it a couple of gentle strokes to direct Chris away from the discomfort. "Sex should never be painful regardless of where the dick is being put in. A bit of discomfort is normal but if you're in pain that means we need more lube or we need to go slower." 

Once again, Chris thanked the higher Gods for giving Josh to him. His partner was understandable and gentle, and wasn't pushing his limits or getting impatient for the slow progress. When he had said he wouldn't want anyone else than Josh to be his first, he meant it, and right now he knew that was the right choice. He could not have asked for a more thoughtful partner.

"I'm fine." The blond murmured softly after a moment, his body slowly starting to tremble under the other's hands, the pleasure drowning the burn enough for him to move his fingers slowly. The slick sound soon filled the air, another sound of pleasure escaping Chris' lips as his body relaxed and he allowed himself to relish on the sensation.

"Damn right you are. Finest ass I've ever laid my eyes on." Winking playfully at Chris as he gently pulled away so that he could get a look at what lie below, only to let a whistle out when he did.

Between the sight of his own hand working Chris' dick and the way those two lube slicked fingers pushed in and out of the techie's body it was a miracle that Josh's self-control was managing to hold out. He hadn't been lying when he had said that the blond was swallowing those fingers up greedily, the muscles twitching around the digits each time Chris pushed in. It was incredibly lewd and Josh loved it.

Had this been what Chris had been doing to himself when he thought about Josh in the past? It was a humbling and incredibly arousing thought, yet a part of Josh doubted it based on the way Chris had tensed up at the second digits penetration. Which meant that before today Chris had limited himself to just one finger at most. The grip on the dick in his hand fell slack at the thought.

The blond released a surprisingly fearful noise at the lack of stimulation and Josh turned his head up to look at the younger man, noticing the worried way he was working his bottom lip. "I am blown away by the fact this is probably the first time you've put more than one finger in." Josh said as he looked down at those stretching fingers with awe. "I don't know what it is but it's just really hot and really humbling at the same time." 

Leaning up again to press a gentle kiss to the other man's lips, he offered Chris an apologetic smile. "Sorry if I freaked you out a little there. You just have no idea what you are doing to my brain right now." 

The words brought another layer of redness on Chris' cheeks, the anxiety in his chest loosening at the explanation. "Did I honestly just break Josh Washington? Someone call the Guinness World Records." Chris grinned, fingers twitching slightly before he pushed them further within him, his lips parting in a quiet noise of pleasure.

"You might want to consider calling them up an applying for a spot in the 'Hottest expression while fingering yourself in front of your boyfriend' category. I'm pretty sure you would win that hands down."

Chris groaned closing his eyes, shaking his head after a short moment. They could not even go through sex without joking, could they? Honestly he was not surprised and besides, everyone always said that it was supposed to be fun so....

Either way, his wrist was starting to truly ache from the unfamiliar position, and the fact that he could not reach for something within him bothered him. It was like an itch, an urge to touch something, something he knew would feel good yet he could not reach it from such a position. It was frustrating to say the least. Finally he gave up with a quiet noise, slipping his fingers free with a hitched breath. "My hand aches and I can't-- fuck Josh, help me?"

A sharp pang of lust shot through the brunette at the idea and without thinking Josh found himself licking his lips. "As you wish." 

Mirroring his earlier movie reference, the brunette leaned down to press a kiss to the frustrated man's jaw, hands pulling away from their previous position on Chris' cock and thigh to grab hold of the bottle of lube, pouring a generous amount of it over both of his hands before setting it down.

His touch was achingly slow as he moved his hands back to the initial position, the one on Chris' thigh trailing upwards teasingly as the other gently brushed the pad of his thumb over the blonde's swollen cock head. While it may have seemed like he was doing this just to be a tease, it was mainly because he was nervous as hell. Up until this point Chris had never had anyone else inside of his body, save perhaps a doctor during those unpleasant little checkups that all men had to look forward too. Just as before, it was a humbling and incredibly arousing bit of knowledge.

When the first of his fingers finally came to ghost over the puckered ring of muscles, he was admittedly pleased to see the lube still clung to the area as he gently circled it with his index and middle finger. "Do you want me to put just one in? Or go ahead with two?"

"Both." Chris replied licking his lips, squirming a bit at the light touch against the already sensitive nerves. While it might have been wiser to start with one, he was positive he had stretched himself enough to be able to take it. Besides, the frustration was only growing and he felt achingly empty, rather desperate for Josh to do it already.

Despite this, he was also a tad nervous. While Josh's fingers were thinner than his own, they were just a tad longer as well. It'd probably feel weird first, but the thought of finally having that ache taken care of pleased him. "Just... take it slow, yeah?"

"Gotcha. Slow and steady, just like the tortoise." The words came out a lot more chipper than Josh thought they would, but the comforting underlying tone was still very much present. 

The tightly packed muscle were difficult to push into at first, clenching and trying to force out his fingers even before he had reached the first knuckle, yet as Chris relaxed Josh found that the passage was surprisingly easy to wiggle into. It was tight, true, but the earlier preparations quickly made it apparent that Chris was more than past the level where two fingers would be an issue. Still, regardless of how well prepared the other was, Josh took things slow as he explored the other's insides with his fingers, feeling the warmth and the way the muscles constricted and tried to suck him in.

Biting at his own bottom lip, the older man could feel his own cock throb painfully as he imagined what it would be like to replace those fingers with something a bit longer and thicker, letting out a small groan when the idea became a bit too much for him to handle. It was around that point that he began to pick up the pace, fingers shifting away from their mindless scissoring and wandering to slowly thrust in and out in time with the strokes of the blonde's cock. 

There was something he should be looking for, something he should find if he curled his finger roughly in the area of where the base of Chris' cock should be. Tilting his fingers as he carefully thrust them in and out, Josh couldn't help but grin when he found it, brushing the pads of his fingers teasingly over that walnut sized gland. "Was this what you were looking for when you had that frustrated little look on your face earlier?" He teased, continuing to brush his fingers against that spot every time he push his fingers back inside.

There were no need for words when Chris' body said everything for him. Everything from the way Chris' hips met each thrust of his fingers to the way his mouth hung open as he let out a symphony of pleasured little noises told Josh he was doing something right. Taking one such particularly intense moment to slip in a third finger, he wasn't all that surprised to find that the blond barely noticed it at all over the pleasure that seemed to wrack his body.

The only problem with this whole situation was just how quickly Josh could feel his control slipped away. With each whimper a surge of desire shot through the older man, his cock now throbbing painfully against his thighs, desperate to take the place of the his own fingers. Chris wasn't ready however. Josh knew it, he could feel the way the muscles were still just a tad too tight. So he settled for just marveling at the sight and sound of his lover below him as his fingers carefully stretched him out for what was hopefully soon to come.

In truth, the more he prepared the younger man the more it became evident to him that Chris wasn't going to be able to last to that point. The blonde's self-control was unravelling even faster than Josh's after all. Biting his lip, a soft sigh escaped his lips, a defeated smile on his lips as he came to the conclusion that he would see this through first. After all, they were both young, it wouldn't be like he'd have to wait very long for his boyfriend to recover.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Josh picked up the pace, stroking and thrusting his fingers over and into the two places that up until this day had remained untouched by anyone but Chris' own hands. "You must be feeling really good, huh? It's okay to cum you know. I won't hold it against you." He teased, leaning forward to press a kiss against whatever he could, which just so happened to be the center of the blonde's chest.

"F-Fuck, I d-don't--" Even with the permission, Chris did his best to push his approaching climax back. Again Josh was ignoring his own needs, giving more than taking. Even if he knew that it would not take him long to get back into business, it still felt selfish to once again take.

As much as he wanted do decline, to tell Josh to stop so they could reach their climax together, all he was capable of doing was to moan out loud as Josh picked up the pace again. His fingers thrust faster, deeper, rubbing against that spot that had him squirming and whimpering for more and it was all too much, too intense.

Chris' back snapped like a bow, body clenching around Josh's fingers as he cried out in pleasure. His waist and part of his chest was covered in cum, cock twitching weakly as the blond shuddered and fell back down on the bed, gasping for air desperately. His skin was tingling, heart hammering and mind buzzing, fingers loosening their hold of Josh's shoulders that surely would bruise from how hard he was clinging on the other man.

"That looked like it was fun." Wiggling his eyebrows, Josh let out a small laugh, knowing all to well Chris probably wasn't in the mood for his jokes. Knowing the other male, he probably had some lingering guilt about the fact they hadn't cum together. "At least we know that you'll be relaxed enough." 

Slipping from the bed, he slipped quickly into the bathroom to fetch another damp washcloth, returning a second later to lay it on Chris' belly. "You clean up while I get ready for round two." Josh said with a wink, before pulling the bag he had packed earlier that day back onto the bed. He had placed the condoms in an outer side pocket, separate from the rest of the things so that they could quickly be accessed, yet as he opened it up he was surprised to find it empty. "What the fuck?" 

Frowning, he quickly tossed the bag over in his hands, searching for another side pocket but ultimately finding there was only one that could have been where he had stored the condoms. "Are you kidding me?" Letting out a curse after a closer examination showed him that there was a hole in the bottom of the pocket that he hadn't noticed earlier Josh couldn't help the visual agitation that came with the knowledge that the condoms he had packed had fallen out on their journey to the cabin.

"There is a hole in the condom pocket. FUCK!" Letting out a groan and running his palm over his face, the brunette let out a sigh before turning towards Chris with an apologetic grin. "I'll head out back to the lodge and get some more. Shit... I'm sorry. This must be a massive mood killer."

"....Do we need them?" Chris asked carefully. "I mean I'm clean, and I know that you are clean. I don't mind not using them." 

Josh's cheeks flushed red at the suggestion and his eyes locked onto the face of his best friend, setting down the bag once more as he contemplated his boyfriends words.

It certainly would make their first time more enjoyable and intimate. The only real hesitation he had was if Chris had something that he didn't know about and had never been tested for. It usually wasn't until ones first sexual experience that they got tested after all. 

Biting his lip and taking another look into his boyfriends eyes, he finally let out a small, awkward laugh, nodding his head. "I suppose we don't need them. Like you said, I'm clean and the chance of you having something is incredibly low given your track record and medical history. Besides, I've already swallowed you cum so even if you did have something it's already past the point of no return, right?" 

Slipping his way back over the younger man, Josh gently pushed Chris back down so that his head rested on one of the pillows before pressing his lips to the blonde's. "Was this your plan all along, Cochise? Maybe you were the one that cut a hole into the condom pocket, hmm? You DID say that you might prefer bare didn't you?"

Chris laughed surprised at the teasing words, the tension from his posture relaxing. "Oh yeah, you caught me. While you were busy rolling in the snow, I cut the pocket open with a sharp rock." He grinned twining his fingers in Josh's hair, pulling him back down so he could kiss the other's lips softly.

"I didn't know you had it in you to be so devious, Christopher. Where has my sweet, naïve little tech-nerd gone?" Smiling into the soft kiss that Chris was giving him, Josh allowed a contented sigh to escape his lips. It felt good to be able to exchange quips like this, natural and easy without any of that awkward tension. Of course, Chris seemed to have other ideas about where they should be headed at the moment, which he made abundantly clear when his hand ran over Josh's cock. 

Letting out a shudder as pleasure shot through his system, it took a moment for him to come up with a response to his boyfriends words. With the simple touch Chris had brought the horribly wonderful ache from earlier back to the forefront of Josh's mind and it was becoming incredibly difficult to think when Chris was teasing the slit in just the right way to make Josh squirm. Within moments his face had flushed up and his eyes had grown dark with lust, his hips slowly grinding into the teasing hand. 

When finally his voice came to him, it shocked him in its deepness. "Just don't tell me that you regret it tomorrow morning." He uttered against Chris' lips as the other nipped at his bottom lip, tongue swiping out to press against the teeth before he pulled his head back. His eyes scoured the bed for the bottle of lube, smirking when he found it. "You want to lube me up or should I do it myself?"

Grabbing the lube from Josh's hand to give him something to do, Chris coated his hand with the liquid before wrapping his fingers around Josh's cock stroking him slowly. He knew it was all so he could prepare Josh for the next step, yet couldn't help but tease the older man a bit.

His thumb rubbed over the head, fingers pulling the foreskin back before teasing the apparently sensitive nerves underneath it. Lips pressed on Josh's shoulder, kissing the nail marks he had left on the other before latching his teeth above the other's pulsepoint, working yet another mark on the skin.

Had it not been for the fact that they had bigger plans for that evening Josh would have enjoyed simply letting Chris do as he wished. But there were bigger, more exciting things than a handjob that he was looking forward to that wouldn't be able to start unless he pulled himself away. So, with a reluctant noise that came out a bit like a whine, Josh gently took hold of Chris' wrist and pulled it away once he was satisfied with the lube job he had been given.

"As much as I know you love to handle my shaft, I think it's about time I finally take you to the bone-zone." Pulling the blond man up and into a kiss, Josh took the time to pluck the glasses from his lovers face with a smirk. "The best part is that you don't even need to see in order to enjoy the experience." Setting the delicate frames on the bedside table, Josh took a deep breath before carefully positioning himself once more between his best friends parted legs. 

Every nerve in his body was on high alert, from his pinky toes to the tip of his nose. Chris' legs felt heavy as they resting on his knees and around his waist, and Josh took the moment to slip a pillow underneath the younger man's hips so that his back didn't end up aching too horribly. Holding his cock with one hand, he bit his lip as he set the head against the ring of muscles they had taken such a good amount of time preparing. As if on instinct, his free hand moved to take hold of Chris.

"Remember what I said before? About how this isn't supposed to hurt? I... I just wanted to remind you of that. At most you should feel a little sting and discomfort." The words came out as softly and carefully as he could get them, though the obvious tinges of lust made the considerate lines a bit shakier than he had intended them to be. "I'm going to take this as slowly as possible and I want you to count to three. When you say three, I'll... I'll push in okay?"

Fingers curling between Josh's own, heart jumping anxiously in Chris' chest he gave a nod of understanding. A part of him felt relief to know Josh was just as nervous as he was. Turning from lifelong friends into lovers was a big step; you knew someone for all your life, but seeing them this way was a completely new area for both of them. 

"One."

Josh was a gentle lover, making sure he was alright and explaining what was going to happen which helped to ease the nerves and the anxious curl in his stomach. He trusted Josh.

"Two."

The blond breathed out shakily, fingers tightening their hold slightly. There was nothing else he wanted or needed than this. He needed Josh to be his first, needed the older man by his side. 

...Maybe he loved Josh.

"Three."

The penetration was easier than he had expected, though he was met with a bit of resistance at the start, the muscles clenching down as the head of Josh's chock slid past the first ring of muscles and nerves.

Going bare certainly upped the sensation. Josh could feel everything, from the creases of the others inner lining to the push and pull that came from the muscles trying to decide whether to expel him or pull him in. Letting out a soft groan, he shut his eyes tight and bit hard on his bottom lip to keep himself focused and not fall into his cruder instincts to thrust in at wild abandon.

When he felt he was under control he allowed his eyes to open once more, eyes catching Chris as he gave his partners hand another squeeze. "That should be the worst of it. How are you?" His voice came out far more strained than he thought it would, the breathless way it cracked towards the end almost enough to make him laugh.

Chris' fingers squeezed Josh's own in response, the blond exhaling shakily as he looked up at the other. "I'm not sure." He got out, licking his lips. "I-It's not bad, but it's like... there's a lot of pressure."

No longer needing a hand to keep himself in position, Josh moved the newly freed appendage to gently rub at his boyfriends hip bones. His lips curled up into a smile and before he knew it his voice took the signature panicked tone of the South Park character Tweak. "Arrrg! Too much pressure!" 

"Oh my god." Chris laughed breathlessly, his free hand sliding up to tangle in Josh's hair as the other kissed him. The tension eased as his lover joked, reminding him that it was just the two of them there, and they were in no hurry. They could do this as long as they wanted to, with no judgement. 

"You're such a dork." He smiled fondly as he broke the kiss, moving his hips carefully as if testing if he could move without much discomfort. The slight burn was still there, as was the pressure, but it was more bearable now than before. "I think you can move." Chris breathed out slowly, body clenching slightly around Josh.

"Holy shit." The breathless groan escaped Josh's lips before he had a chance to catch it, dark green eyes clenched shut tight as he tried not to thrust forward too suddenly. "Yeah... okay. I'll take it slow..." Forcing his eyes open, he tried his best to offer Chris a smile that didn't look like he was completely losing himself to the pleasure, but it was a lot harder than he thought.

He kept his promise through the sheer miracle of willpower alone, pushing the rest of the way inside so excruciatingly slowly that it had him grinding his teeth. Chris felt like heaven around him. Tight and warm and while not wet the friction even as he slowly slid inside was maddening. By the time he rested fully inside the blond he was panting in effort to keep his hips still and not blindly fuck his lover into the mattress. 

"God, Chris. You feel incredible."

A sharp cry spilled from the older man's lips as his lover's fingers ran a searing trail along his back. While it would no doubt string later the sensation was more than enough to have him shuddering and back arching. The line of his spine had always been particularly sensitive during more heated moments, a fact that Josh may have actually brought up with Chris before, if only to make a rather interesting comparison to the Cylon's from Battlestar Galactica. While his spine may not have been glowing red during their love making it certainly was a weak spot that made arguing with Chris desperate pleas to start moving impossible to ignore. 

He took things slow, inching his way out until only the head of his cock remained inside and pushing back in with a visible shudder. While being inside Chris had been incredible, the addition of movement only served to create a pleasurable friction that was slowly turning his mind to goop. After four or five thrusts at that horribly slow pace he leaned forward, pressing his lips firmly against Chris and drowning out both of their moans as the hand on Chris hip moved to shift the other's body, effectively allowing Josh to reach a different angle without too much movement on either of their parts.

The kiss was as slow and tender as the sex they were having, taking all the time in the world to just taste and experience the younger man below him. It was ironic that the blond, despite being a virgin, had already made this experience considerably more enjoyable than a good majority then his previous partners. Sure, they knew how to twist and turn their bodies or where to touch to make a man go wild, but there was just something so very appealing about sharing not just physical but emotionally intimacy with the person you loved. For Joshua Washington, who hadn't always been the most emotionally stable of individuals, the combination of the two just made this all the better.

Finding that special place that had made Chris go wild earlier became his next goal, and while the other man was no doubt confused by the way Josh was constantly shifting either himself or Chris, he hoped the blond would understand. Everything felt so incredible for Josh and he wanted, NEEDED Chris to feel as good as possible as well. If that mean a couple of awkward thrusts and wiggling then so be it.

His body shuddered when the gentle touches to his spine stopped and Chris dug into his skin as if he were the last thing keeping him tethered to earth. The clenching muscles around his cock tightened and Chris' hips moved on their own to eagerly greet his slow thrusts. A grin lit up his lips. He had found that spot again. 

Now it was just a manner of drilling it home until his boyfriend was a completely ruined mess.

He picked up speed, though he was careful to keep the pace manageable and not overwhelming for his virginal partner. Chris didn't need him taking things too fast. His body wouldn't be able to handle it. With their angle set he was also able to slowly move the hand on his boyfriends hip to his cock, taking hold of it and stroking in time with his thrusts, mirroring his earlier actions only this time with something much larger and more enjoyable for them both.

As soon as Josh's fingers wrapped around his cock, Chris released a punched out noise he hadn't before. It was a full-on cry of desperation, pleasure bordering between too little and too much. He felt sensitive, nearly too sensitive and he wasn't even sure if it was possible for him to climax again. Clearly his cock thought so, but his body was starting to be exhausted, mind reeling to keep up with the sensations Josh laid upon his body.

His body clenched around Josh's in an attempt to drag him deeper, the blond's head tipped back in ecstasy, eyes completely glassed over, lips moving but no noise left him expect sharp pants.

Chris felt sensitive and sore, toes curling in pleasure that left him blinded and gasping. Josh's voice sounded like it was coming from far away or under the water, muffled yet somehow comforting all the same. He could feel Josh's body beginning to tremble as well, and he hoped it meant what he thought it did.

Josh had pushed his needs before his own.

This time Chris wanted to return the favor. Unfortunately his plan would not work if Josh would not reach his climax soon, as he could feel his own loom just behind the corner. Deciding the help the best he could, Chris' trembling fingers slid back down against Josh's back, applying a bit more pressure into the touch. His body clenched around his lover, tearing a gasp from his own lips as well before his fingers slid back up and sunk in Josh's hair so he could pull the other lower, lips brushing against the brunette's ear.

"...Want you to come in me, Josh." He gasped breathlessly, giving the lobe of his ear a small nip. "Want you to make me yours."

The reaction to Chris' attempt to urge him forward were immediate. The control that Josh had been holding onto so tightly snapped, his thrusts picking up into a desperate pace that he would not be able to hold for much longer. He was close, that he knew, but he refused to give in to whatever Chris was planning and lose himself before the blond did. He loved the blond dearly but he could be a massive asshole when it came to his choice of subjects to tease Josh on and he doubted he would hear the end of it if his sisters found out he came first. 

Groaning against Chris's neck, he carefully sunk his teeth into one of his previous mark as he squeezed the hand holding his tightly. "Then cum for me. I want to see your 'o' face before I lose it." 

No matter how desperately he had wanted his lover to come first, to push his own needs in front of Chris' for a change, he was helpless to the moaned words in his ear and the hand stroking his cock. 

_Josh was a filthy cheater._

Chris' body jerked as the climax hit him, forcing the last of the air from his lungs in a broken scream of Josh's name. Every pulse sent a shockwave of pleasure over him and it was too much, too overwhelming, too everything. The blond broke down into a quiet sob, a tear sliding down his cheek as he gasped for air, body floating in the aftershocks of the release.

It felt like forever but was actually only a matter of seconds before Josh found his own release, flooding his boyfriends insides with a sticky warmth as his hips gave one last push into muscles that were clamped so tightly around him that he forgot how to breath for a long moment. Everything about his orgasm was intense, waves of pleasure crashing over him as his mind went blank with a burning white that forced him to clench his eyes shut. Chris' cry of his name was echoed with a choked out gasp of the blonde's that was more a whimper then Josh would ever care to admit.

It was definitely the most intense pleasure Chris had ever felt before. It had left him wide eyed and panting, gaze hazy from the tears that he blinked away furiously, fingers wrapping around Josh as he pulled the brunette closer. He couldn't stop shaking either, a choked, breathless laugh leaving his lips, voice raspy when he spoke. "I think you broke me."

"Well, I guess I should consider it a job well done." Josh's voice sounded raspy, no doubt from all the moaning he had been doing up until that point, yet the affection could not be denied. Carefully he moved the hand that had at some point been holding his lovers, he moved to wipe away the tears that had dotted Chris' cheek, concern making its way onto his feature as he pushed himself up, suddenly anxious despite the weariness. "Was it too much at the end? Fuck... Chris I never meant to make you CRY." 

It was hard to bask in the afterglow when you were concerned for your best friend and lover. Had he let himself take things too far? Chris didn't seem hurt, but he certainly was over stimulated. "I'm sorry. I... got a bit carried away. I'll make it up to you the next time by letting you drill my ass as hard as you want." Offering the other male an soft smile, he leans over to press a kiss to Chris' lips, settling back down beside him as he continued to pepper kisses to his face.

"I'll get us another wash cloth in a bit. Right now though, the train out of the bone-zone is headed straight for snuggle central for a bit of maintenance."

"I'm fine." Chris hurried to respond to the other's worry, turning to lay on his side so he could give the brunette a reassuring smile. His lower back ached and there was a slight burn every time he moved, but aside from that he felt alright. Perhaps a tad vulnerable and exposed, but with Josh the feelings soon turned into comfort and trust.

"It was just.... intense. I did not expect that. It wasn't the speed or anything, it... as cheesy as it sounds, it was the closeness of it all. The vulnerability when all your guards are down." Chris tried to explain, not quite sure how to properly word what it was he felt.

In the end he just sighed and pressed his face against Josh's chest, closing his eyes. "You'll understand when you try it yourself. But trust me, I'm more than fine. I feel really good." 

With the intensity and passion gone, things had faded into a sense of peaceful contentedness and joy. Laying side by side like this was not really something Josh could say he had done with many of his other partners and never had it filled him with such a warm, happy feeling as it did now. It was like the night at the lodge all over again, minus the emotional haziness that his depression had brought about.

"Yeah. Me too." He said softly, unable to really think of words when he was just flowing in a river of post orgasm bliss. It took him a moment, but eventually he continued with something a bit more substantial. "A lot better then I've felt in a long, long time. I'm glad that we did this."

"We better do it again. Many, many times." Chris teased, another yawn splitting his lips as he burrowed himself closer to the tanned youth. 

"On the bed, on the floor, on a towel by the door." Josh half-said and half-sung without skipping a beat. "In the tub, in the car, up against the mini-bar." The smile on his face remained tender despite the playful reference, his fingers still softly running through Chris' hair as he watched the other male drift towards slumber. As much as he wanted to join him, Josh knew that if both of them fell asleep then there would be nobody to clean up the sticky mess that was on them and when they woke up it would be even a less fun time then if it was just the awkward limping and slight discomfort to deal with.

"Hey... think you can hold awake for five more minutes? You really don't want to be waking up covered in dry cum and lube, trust me." Okay, so maybe Josh had never experienced first hand, but he knew people who had and the account wasn't pleasant. Pressing a swift kiss to his lovers head he forced himself to pull away, his own body covered with swiftly drying sweat that made his skin prickle up.

Recovering the wash cloth from earlier, he returned to the bathroom one last time to rinse it out and dampen it with warm water before returning to the bed and pulling them both under the covers. It was a bit awkward going as he did his best to clean Chris off without over-stimulating him, the warm cloth ghosting over the flesh of his lovers stomach, ass, cock and inner thighs, collecting anything that may be there before doing the same for himself with the other side. Once the task was complete enough that they wouldn't end up waking up covered in their own fluids, he tossed the cloth away once more and pulled his boyfriend back to their original position.

"Okay. NOW we can go to sleep."


	12. Chapter 12

Dreams were never a simple thing for Joshua Washington. More often then not he found himself unsettled or anxious throughout the entire dream and he could count on one hand the times that they had been something as simple as wandering around school without his pants. Thankfully, dreams where he actually had some conscious memory of what was going on were incredibly rare. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case right now.

He was in the mines. He didn't know how he got there but he knew his reason for coming down there had something to do with Chris. Beside him was the strange man from the mountain, his face hidden underneath that mask and his body tense as they traveled further and further into the tunnels. Every so often a shadow would pass in the form of the creature that he had seen outside a couple nights before and he could feel it somewhere, watching them, hunting them. 

"You never should have come down here." The man beside him said, Josh able to hear the frown he had even without seeing it. "Your boyfriend is gone. You said you wouldn't go snooping but you did. This is your fault."

From somewhere off in the distance he heard Chris scream and he took off into a run, the man disappearing into the inky blackness as he dashed closer and closer to where the source of the noise was coming from. Stepping through a doorway he was suddenly blinded by a flash of white light, and when he was finally able to open his eyes once more he was standing before a lovely two story home in a warm, sunny suburban neighborhood. There was no sigh of the stranger or Chris, just the sound of children playing off in the distance and voices streaming out from the open window.

Following the voices, he came to a stop in front of the window, peering in at what lie inside only to immediately wish he hadn't. There in the living room of this lovely suburban home was Chris, only older, most likely a little younger then Josh's own parents. He stood there beside a woman who Josh could only assume to be an older version of Ashley, her light brownish-red hair tied up in a neat bun, her stomach clearly pregnant with a child. They looked happy. Happy and healthy and normal. 

"Chris. Dinner is going to be ready soon. Can you go fetch the girls from next door?" Older Ashley asked, smiling softly at the man who Josh loved. He returned the smile and gave her a nod, pecking her cheek. 

"Sure, be back in a bit." Following the older Chris, Josh could only watch as he made his way out of the home, past Josh and to the next house. He exchanged some pleasantries with the woman next door before a pair of young girls ran out to join him, their arms wrapping around his legs as he let out a laugh. "Hey you two! Did you have fun with Mary?"

The children responded, but Josh didn't hear it. He was too confused over their similarities to his own sisters. They weren't identical matches, but they were undeniably Hannah and Beth like in their mannerisms and just watching older Chris interact with them made him anxious. 

It was just as Chris turned back towards him that he finally noticed Josh, his eyes going wide and face pale. "J-josh? W-what... that's impossible. You can't... and you're so... young." The girls looked up at their father, confusion in their gazes and he quickly ushered them back to the house before slowly drawing closer.

"What are you talking about? Chris why are you so old? What's going on?" His own confusion spilled out of his lips as he moved to meet the blond, searching his face for answers but finding none. Chris' hands found his face, trembling and looking on the verge of tears.

"You... you can't be real. It took you... that thing took you and dragged you into the mines twenty years ago. Mike said that he saw it drag you away... You've been dead twenty years... so how can you be...here?"

Dead. Twenty years? The world began to spin around him, and suddenly he found himself drowning in ice cold water, his lungs burning as he desperately reached for the surface only for it to grow farther and farther away with each stroke. Just as the world was beginning to fade to black his found himself waking up, eyes snapping open but no cry spilling from his lips.

The time couldn't have been later then four in the morning. There was no light pouring in through the window shutters and no birds were chirping outside. Snuggled against him was Chris. Young Chris. Chris who still had his head bandaged up and hair that held no signs of greying. The man he had just had an incredible bout of sex with a few hours earlier and who was dating him and certainly not married to Ashley while Josh was dead for twenty years.

Taking a deep breath he allowed his hand to travel softly over the younger man's cheek, feeling the soft skin there and listening to the soft breathing of his lover. He lay like that for a long time, heart slowly easing its erratic beating as he was soothed by his partners presence. After who knows how long sleep claimed him once more. Thankfully, this time it was dreamless.

When Josh awoke the second time that morning it was to the sensation of soft lips pressed to his skin and the sensation of slight movement. Without realizing it, he uttered out a weak groan, arms moving to wrap around the body beside him and pull it closer as he nestled his face in short blond hair. Sadly, he could find his mind slowly shifting into alertness even as he tried to evade the call, the desire for more sleep being outweighed by stimuli from the outside and inside. Namely the need to use the bathroom and the sensation of light hitting his eyelids in all the wrong angles.

Eyes fluttered open to be met with the sight of the blonde's head, which he carefully removed his face from so he could look Chris in the eyes. His own gaze was still cloudy from sleep, but the smile on his face was at least sincere. "'ey." A yawn prevented him from continuing further with his good mornings, his fingers grasping for something to pull Chris even closer with but only managing to accidentally pinch the other man as he forgot they were both naked.

"Morning." Chris replied closing his eyes again, squirming a the other's pinch before relaxing again. "How are you feeling?" 

"Hmm? Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?" Despite still not being entirely awake Josh's mood seemed to be good, his lips curling into a larger smile as he pulled his hand away from his face, a little more alert then before.

Josh understood why he asked however. A big change like this was something that could have a massive effect on his mood and he knew Chris had always been the type to worry over him. Yet aside from the nightmare last night which he barely remembered at this point he felt great. It felt weird not to be truthful about what had happened last night, however, so he let out a small sigh. 

"I had a nightmare last night. I don't really remember much of it but it was a bit more emotional then the usual night terrors I get. It doesn't matter either way since I feel great right now." Running his fingers through the other man's hair, he let out a soft chuckle. "I'm going to have to look into getting you declawed though. My back stings like hell."

"If we're talking about de-attaching things because of the discomfort they may cause, then we need to talk about de-attaching something of yours as well." Chris pointed out glancing between his lover's legs as if making the point of what he was talking about. "And before you start to worry, I'll live. It's not that bad."

Sleepy laughter spilled from Josh's lips, knowing full well what Chris was talking about even before the other chose to emphasize his point with a rather pointed look towards Josh's crotch. His smile lingered when Chris cut off the worry that would have sprouted in him over the blond man's condition, shrugging his shoulders as he carefully slid up, stretching his arms above his head with a deep yawn. 

"I'm going to take a shower and see what we have that can be made into breakfast. We aren't really expected back for another couple of hours so I'm thinking maybe afterwards we can lay in bed for a bit. I dunno, it's up to you." Of course, knowing Chris the younger man would probably without any idea as to what to do out here. The younger man was always glued to his phone so being in a tiny cabin in the middle of a mountain with no cell service probably wasn't his idea of a good time. 

Heading towards the bathroom, he stopped to pause at the door, flashing the blond a teasing smile. "Unless you want to join me in the shower. It's not the lodge bath but I think we can wiggle in together in we try." Without waiting for a response he retreated inside, handling his first order of business before Chris could decide so that there would be no awkwardness. Josh had his fair share of kinks but there were some things that even he needed his modesty over. 

He did need a shower, desperately. While Josh had cleaned him pretty well last night, there was still stickiness left on his skin, not to mention the scent of sex was strong. While a part of him wondered if they could stand in a smaller space without the situation escalating, another part pointed out that they would eventually run out of warm water and if he did not join Josh, there might be none of it left later.

Mind made up Chris pushed himself up, only to gasp out loud as the burning pain spread on his lower back, causing him to clench his fingers on the sheets. Fuck. It was not the sharp kind of pain either, more like a constant burn coupled with muscle aches he didn't know he could have. Combined with the ache on his lower back and the slight discomfort when he moved, Chris felt rather embarrassed.

His movements were slow after that as he tested his own limits, sighing in defeat when he found himself limping slightly. Still, he could not bring it in himself to dwell on it for too long-- it was an aftermath from a wonderful night after all.

His legs carried him in the bathroom, the blond purposely closing the door a tad louder than usually just to alert Josh and not startle the other. "You better not have used all the warm water." Chris teased tugging the curtain to the side so he could step under the spray of water, skin breaking on goosebumps.

Opening his eyes at the sound of the door shutting, Josh found himself smiling even before Chris actually stepped in to join him. Moving out of the way so that Chris would be the one primarily getting hit by the steams of warm water, an arm slid easily around the other man's waist, moving in close yet not right on top of him. "I think there should be enough for a good fifteen minutes or so." Not long enough to start anything frisky, but certainly long enough for them both to clean themselves off.

In truth, as much as Josh would have loved to spend as much time ravishing the techie as possible before returning back to the lodge, he was aware of the physical limitations. Chris was no doubt still sore from yesterday and Josh himself was still tired from his abrupt late night wake up. So long as Chris didn't actively try anything the brunette would be content to keep their shower to just, well, showering. That didn't mean, however, that he wasn't above teasing the blond.

"Couldn't resist a chance to press your body against mine again, huh?" The teasing look he gave Chris was quickly distorted, water dripping down into his eyes causing him to shake his head, dark curls falling flatly against his scalp. "Or maybe you just wanted a good old fashion scrub down courteous of your incredibly handsome and perfect boyfriend?"

"As much as I love pressing my body against yours, I don't think I'm ready for round... four, anytime soon." Chris chuckled pressing a kiss on Josh's cheek before reaching out for the soap. "I mean unless you plan to use my mouth." He added grinning teasingly before nudging Josh around gently, soaped hands running down his boyfriend's arms.

The sight of his back had Josh backtracking though. Dark red velts ran down his lover's skin, accompanied by smaller cuts from his nails where they had dug in through the skin. He winced in sympathy and embarrassment, placing a gently kiss on the scratches. "I don't think you should go shirtless for a while."

"Are you kidding? I think I should spend the rest of the day shirtless! Wear my battle wounds with pride and valor." Laughing, Josh tilted his head to the side so that he could catch Chris' gaze, green eyes sparkling in playful mirth. "It means that I gave you one hell of a night."

"I don't think we should traumatize your sisters though." The blond pointed out running his hands down Josh's back gently before making sure he got everything else cleaned as well. 

The soap stung. Horribly so in fact. While he knew that his back needed to be washed he still couldn't help but regret the fact that he hadn't brought a less stingy soap when he had restocked things. Cringing and unable to keep from squirming as Chris worked his back, the brunette did his best to keep any noises of pain to himself lest he make the blond more worried then he already was. To say he was relieved when his boyfriend finished and moved to tenderly massage his waist was an understatement and he couldn't help the small smile that came from the gentle kiss that followed.

"Alright, alright. Switch places with me." Shifting a bit so that Josh was now the one standing directly under the water's spray, the older man let out a small hiss at the sensation of the water pelting his sore skin once again. In order to distract himself from the stinging pain he continued on with their earlier bit of teasing as he claimed the bar of soap from his boyfriends hands. "Hmm. That leaves me in a bit of a dilemma now doesn't it? Preserve the innocence of my beloved sisters or show off just how hot the sex I had with my gorgeous boyfriend was."

"You would not be showing just them." Chris pointed out embarrassed, running his soaped hands through his hair. "The others are there as well." Sure, it'd be fun to tease Mike about it, but he could already see the way Em would roll her eyes at them. As happy as they were for them, there were some things they didn't need to know or see.

Not that he could hide the large bruises on his neck. With a sigh he surrendered to the teasing that would happen, giving his boyfriend a small smile. "Well, the night was worth it."

"All the more reason to show off, dude." The grin that formed on Josh's lips was absolutely delighted. He hadn't been lying when he said that he enjoyed the idea of showing off to the others how far his relationship had gotten with Chris. As much as it might have embarrassed Chris, Josh had no intention of hiding anything anymore. 

Well okay, maybe a FEW things would be hidden. 

Like the way Chris looked right after he reached orgasm. Or moments like this one or the one outside the lodge the other morning. The intimate private moments would remain just that; intimate and private. The other stuff, however, would not get the same treatment. Not when he finally had the chance to show off and bask in every bit of PDA that he possibly could. 

Lathering up his hands with soap he began setting to work on returning the favor Chris had done for him, letting out a hum of agreement at Chris' comment about the night before. The smile never left his face as he gently massages away the sweat and scent of sex from his lovers skin, though it did notably grow more relaxed and gentle, going from a playful grin to a contented smile as his fingers moved from the others neck down over his shoulders and arms. It was the first time that he was allowed to touch without it being in a lust driven bout of passion and it felt nice to simply enjoy the feelings of Chris' skin under his finger tips.

Chris' chest was handle with a great amount of care, the knowledge that the blonds nipples were probably still incredibly sensitive if not painful to the touch making the darker skinned youth all the more patient in his washing, avoiding them for the most part save for a very brief lathering. His fingers followed downwards, but ultimately stopped before reaching Chris' crotch, gaze turning towards him questioningly.

"You want me to do it or would you prefer taking care of this half yourself?" The way it was said suggested he didn't care either way, which was true for the most part. He wouldn't mind washing Chris, but if the blond wasn't comfortable and felt like it would be too much then Josh was happy to hand the bar of soap over. "You're going to wanna get your thighs too, but stay away from you ass with the soap. It probably stings enough as is."

"I can handle that." Chris replied a tad drowsily, having been lulled into a sense of contentment and comfort with Josh. He felt warm and fuzzy, the mere thought of having to leave the shower sooner or later sending a wave of displeasure through him. Still, he relished on the moment they had now, taking the soap from Josh's hands before running it down his thighs cleaning off the sweat and remains of cum.

His own touch was gentle as he cleaned himself, using the water itself to clean his backside. The water was starting to run chilly sooner than he appreciated, letting out a sigh as they were forced to end that wonderful moment. "Breakfast?" Chris offered wrapping one of the towels around his waist, rubbing the smaller one through his hair.

Following Chris out of the shower Josh let out a small yawn as his fingers ran through his damp hair, not caring enough to grab a towel for it like Chris did and instead just lazily dabbing at his skin as quickly as possible. For a second it seemed as if he hadn't caught Chris' question, but in the end he turned and offered the blond a small, playful smile. "As much as I know you'd love to see me cook in just an apron, it's too cold to be walking around without clothing. We'll talk about breakfast AFTER I know we aren't going to freeze." 

Bundling his towel into a whip, he took the opportunity to playfully bat the back of Chris' calves, avoiding his most likely tender ass and thighs the best he could as he headed into the bedroom and into his bag. The clothing he had packed was warm and comfortable, consisting of a pair of pants similar to the ones he had worn coming in and a warm beige sweater Hannah had gotten him at a massive yard sale she had gone to with Sam during the spring of the year before. The garment wasn't particularly special, but that had kind of been the joke. He had asked her to get him the plainest looking thing she could find and she had delivered in dull, worn brown colors. 

Shoving on a pair of mismatched heavy wool socks in a dark orange and navy blue, he quickly realized that Chris' back was absent from the bedroom. The blond had dumped it in the living room the last time he had seen it, meaning that Chris would be coming out of the bathroom into the cold without an immediate change of clothing. Deciding to play the good boyfriend, he slid from the bed, where he had been sitting when pulling up his socks, and made his way into the living room in search of the blonds bag. It took roughly five seconds to locate it, right where Chris had left it the night before, and with a pleased hum he returned to the bedroom to set it down and await for his lovers dramatic exit from the bathroom.

"You're a saint." Chris breathed out as soon as he spotted the sight of his bag in the bedroom. 

"I know. The local church is setting up a stain glassed window in my likeness." Smiling at the blond as he watched the look of thankfulness spark through his blue eyes, Josh allowed himself to take a moment to relax in bed as the younger man dressed. Dark green eyes tinted with amusement as he watched, not one or two, but three shirts be pulled out of the other's overnight bag. Trust Chris to always go to extreme lengths to be as warm as possible. It was almost shocking he didn't pack long underwear as well.

Nothing more sexy than a pair of woolen pant length undies.

Snorting at his own thought, the brunette caught up to the world around him just as Chris was lifting his arms up into a stretch. It was a crime that all those layers prevented him from catching a glimpse of what lie beneath. Thankfully, now that they were dating Josh would have all the opportunities in the world to look at the blond's body. 

The older man did indeed start making his way towards the kitchen, his own stomach grumbling softly at the need for food in his system. They had essentially skipped dinner after all. Beth's sandwiches were hardly enough for a pair of young adult men, even if they were 'carefully crafted for maximum energy'. 

"We got bread, a couple of hard boiled eggs, a package of hot dogs, a box of spaghetti, two different types of cheese, a tub of not butter that claims you won't believe it isn't, annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd.... champagne." Listing off the food items Josh couldn't help but cringe in hindsight. They should have at least packed some uncooked eggs. Then again, they had been in a snowball fight the day before. The chances of the eggs having survived would have been rather slim so he should have been thankful they didn't. Egg was not fun to clean off your clothing.

"I could make us proper lunch, it seems like it's around lunch time either way." Chris offered glancing at the brunette. "That alright with you?"

Pulling out the bottle of champagne that they had ignored the night before, Josh thoughtfully examined the bottle as Chris sorted through the ingredients. It may have been a bit early for alcohol but it wouldn't hurt either of them too much to have a glass now, would it? Frowning softly he also remembered that he still needed to take his medication today. It was already around noon and not having it in his system was not an option given the harsh side effects. 

Setting the bottle down on the counter he turned to face Chris, nodding his head with an eager smile. "Alright, sounds good. I just need to get my fix and I'll be back to help." Of course, by help Josh really meant standing around and occasionally stealing food from the counter but given his less then great track record in home-ec it was for the best that he not be allowed too much cooking time. How a guy who was capable of constructing marvelous devices and gizmos in shop class couldn't figure out the difference between a pinch of salt and a dash of salt was a mystery. 

Slipping away back into the bedroom to handle his medication, Josh returned a minute later with a grimace and a look that seemed to suggest that he had once more downed the pills dry. "Why is it that I can never find a medication that doesn't have some problem to it? If it isn't bad side effects or it not working it's the fact that they taste like absolute ASS."

"Maybe you should try swallowing them down with water, that could help with the taste." Chris offered nearly absently, already used on Josh bitching about his medication enough to not really react into it. Besides, there was not much he could say in the first place since he had no real experience with medication himself.

"Or juice, or something. Swallowing an aspirin dry is fucking hell as well." The blond added placing the pot of water on the stove before turning it on, already sprinkling salt in it while he waited for the water to boil.

Slinking up behind the blond as he watched him sprinkle salt into the water, Josh waited until Chris had placed the glass lid on the pot before gently wrapping his arms around the shorter man, head resting on his shoulder. "Such a lovely wife you make, Christopher. All we need is a frilly apron and this would be right out of a Hallmark commercial." 

Chris smiled as he felt the arms wrap around his waist, and for a moment he allowed Josh to hold him, relishing on the warmth and comfort of the other. "Maybe one day I'll cook you breakfast wearing nothing but the apron." He teased lightly. 

"No way. The last thing I want is you burning yourself on hot grease or something. Where did you even think to come up with that? One of Ashley's mango books?" Okay, so he knew the name. That didn't mean he couldn't tease Chris and Ashley about it. He would never forgive either of them for dragging him into that stupid comic about the Joestar guys or that guy with the fighting nose hair. Or the space frogs. 

"Manga, Josh. Not mango." Chris sighed shaking his head amused, tearing open the packet of spaghetti. "And maybe, I mean there's a lot of those type of books according to Ashley." They were a great way to pass the time after all, reading through some of them as silly some stories were.

The blond turned around sharply, a hand slapping Josh's lightly as the other moved to steal a piece of the cheese. "Do you really think I don't know your dirty tricks by now?" He teased grinning, turning his head a bit to look at Josh over his shoulder.

Letting out a very faked whimper as his hand was batter away, Josh returned it to its previous place at the blonde's waist before cracking him a grin. "I was hoping you would have forgotten."

"You're going to have to come up with new plans."

The mere notion brought a smile to Josh's lips and pressed a soft kiss to the nape of Chris' neck. "Don't temp me. I found a couple of really nice weak spots last night and you know as well as I do that I can play dirty." Leaning over, he gently bit the other man's earlobe, rolling it gently with his tongue as if to emphasize his point.

"Y-you do that, and we're not going to get anything to eat anytime soon." Chris protested voice shaking slightly at the nip, his skin rising on goosebumps as his body curled closer to his boyfriend's. Chris knew Josh had a point though, their games and dares would definitely be taking a more dirtier edge from now on.

Not that he minded much.

And as much as he wanted to continue teasing Josh, pushing him a bit further, he knew they needed to eat to be able to recover from the previous night. With a soft sigh he turned his head and nudged his nose against Josh's chin. "Do something truly useful and set up the table, alright?"

The plates and silverware in the guest cabin were obnoxiously old, but they held a certain rustic charm to them that seemed to fit the place pretty well in Josh's opinion. The silverware was actual silver, dulled in quality but still beautifully crafted, while the plates were made of a similarly dull metal that Josh assumed to be pewter.

They were unpleasantly cold to the touch however and Josh found himself not bothering to get fancy with them. "I think maybe I should talk to my parents about getting an actual heater in here. Any colder and we're going to have to start 'letting it go'." Slipping away from the table Josh took a step towards the fire that he had started the night before. Just as promised the logs he had placed still seemed to be running strong, but in an effort to make things a bit more pleasant he slipped another log in just in case.

"Or you know, the cheaper option would be to wear more clothes." Chris pointed out snickering, adding the pasta in the boiling pot of water before covering it with the lid. He turned to look at Josh, a gentle smile spreading on his lips at he sight of the other standing in front of the fire place.

Josh only let out a small snort at Chris' words. Trust the man with a hundred layers to suggest that they put on more clothing. "Unlike you, most people prefer not to walk around with enough layers to make an onion jealous." 

"Then again, we were plenty warm last night without any clothes." Chris continued grinning, unable to stop himself from teasing the other. It felt as if the dam had broken, and he now had the permission to do this. To tease, to taunt his boyfriend.

Josh's beanie seemed to have dried overnight and despite his words Josh didn't hesitate to slip it over his still damp hair. The additional warmth to his ears certainly was pleasant, especially since the garment had the whole night by the fire to collect heat, giving it the same feeling as if he had just taken it out of the dryer. Casting a glance towards his cooking boyfriend at his mention of last nights events, his lips cracked into a smile.

"True, you certainly do make a wonderful source of heat. In fact, maybe I should slip my hands into your pants instead of putting them in front of the fire. Certainly would be a more interesting way to keep 'em toasty. Don't you think?" Interesting was an understatement. Josh could already see the scene play out in his mind. 

He stood there behind Chris in the kitchen, arms slowly wrapping around the blond once more as his fingers gently begin touching his stomach over his clothing. Chris would squirm and laugh, batting his hands away until Josh would slide on up his shirt, causing a gasp to be pulled from the other man's lips. The younger man would shudder at the slight chill, but as he reached his fingers up to fondle a sensitive nipple and the other slipped into his pants and boxers to gently fondle Chris' cock they would quickly heat up, both literally and figuratively. 

Realizing that his mind had taken a turn straight into the gutter once more, Josh shook his head to snap back to reality, finding his gaze still lingering on Chris. It was then that he realized something that brought a smirk to his lips. "Forget your hair gel back at the lodge?"

"Hah hah, make fun of the guy with flat hair." Chris responded with a snort, lips curling in a fond smile. "The food won't take long to cook anymore. When do you think the others are expecting us back?"

Slipping away from the fireplace and returning to the kitchen, Josh moved to lean against the counter as he folded his arms across his chest and watched the blond. "We could head back anytime we wanted really. I don't think they are expecting us to get back until dinner time but we can always surprise them." He shrugged with a small smile, his gaze still watching Chris with a calm, relaxed gaze. 

There was a brief moment of hesitation before he pulled away from the counter, fingers pulling his beanie off his head and gently moving to slip it over the younger man's slightly damp blond hair. "I like seeing your hair without the gel. It reminds me of that time when we were little and we were walking down the little shopping avenue and I got to hold your hand. Do you even remember that?" There was a slight tint in his cheeks as he softly brought up the memory, his gaze pointedly not looking at Chris, as if embarrassed by how insanely cute the whole situation was.

The memory itself was one that Josh looked back on fondly. It had been the day before their first slumber party at Chris' house and the blonde's mother had shooed them out while she cooked dinner to go get some exercise and get their eyes off Chris' newest video game. The other's condo was situated rather close to the main part of town, putting them in easy access to the clump of businesses and such that tended to flock to such an area, and within a matter of minutes they were walking up and down the streets and enjoying the mid-autumn scenery.

Even then Chris had been prone to his layering tendencies, and Josh, being the obnoxious child that he was had decided to comment about it, bragging about his own tolerance for cold and how his mother had occasionally teasingly referred to him as a living furnace. The blond had been less then amused until Josh had slipped the beanie he was wearing over the younger man's head with a playful grin. "A hat will keep you warmer then more layers. You can have mine since unlike you I don't need it." He had said, smiling warmly up at Chris, who back then had towered over him. The blonde's face had erupted so red that Josh had burst up laughing, teasingly offering to let him hold his hand too. After a bit of initial refusal the blond had ultimately conceded and they had spent the rest of the day swinging their arms as they held each other's hands. 

Sometimes Josh wondered what happened to that beanie. Had Chris tossed it away or did he still keep it somewhere?

"How could I forget?" Chris' response was just as soft, the beanie covering his ears and immediately wrapped him in a warm embrace that was both comforting and oh so familiar. The beanie Josh spoke of was still in his closet, hidden in one of the boxes that held the most precious memories he had collected for years.

Perhaps one day he could show it to Josh, but there was no way he'd return it. Besides, Josh had more than enough beanies already.

The blush on his boyfriend's face was enough for Chris to leave his place before the stove and he turned around, wrapping his arms around Josh's neck. "You look so adorable when you're flustered." He murmured gazing up at the other, unable to stop himself from smiling widely.

Josh's arms slid easily around Chris' waist, their bodies fitting together in a way that Josh thought perfect. The smile and the teasing words, the way Chris had to lift his gaze up just slightly in order to meet his own, all of it was perfect. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips softly to those of the younger man, cheeks still tinted pink from his earlier embarrassment. "'m not flustered. I have no idea what your talking about." Josh said against the blonde's lips before he pulled back a bit, forehead resting against Chris as he just looked into his eyes.

Somewhere in his mind he noted he had been doing the forehead thing a lot lately. There was just something comforting about resting your face so close to your partners. He could lean in and kiss him if he wanted or just relax there and feel the way that Chris' breath mingled with his own. Every speckle of color in the techie's eyes was on display for him despite the glasses obstructing his view. If he looked hard enough, Josh was fairly certain he could see just a very slight dotting of freckles on the other man's nose. 

"You can keep that beanie if you want." Why he had chosen to say that was a mystery to even himself. It had been the first thing to come to mind perhaps. Regardless, he didn't mind giving the garment to Chris. The blond wore it well enough and as Josh had said so many years ago it would do wonders to help him retain the warmth he so desperately craved.

"Nah man, it's cool. It's your favorite, isn't it?" Chris protested smiling, unable to stop himself from pressing another light kiss on Josh's lips. "I trust in your skills to keep me warm." He mumbled against the other's lips, grinning slightly before the sizzling in the background forced him to pull away and run back to the stove with a curse.

Water was boiling over the pot, large bursts of steam rising in the air as he fumbled to pull off the lid, burning himself on the splashing water on the progress. It tore another curse from the blond, fingers fumbling to turn the stove off and remove the pot on the sink to cool before pushing his now red hand under a cold spray of water.

His shoulders deflated, a breathless laugh escaping his lips. "Well that did not go as planned."

"No. No that did not. Seriously, Cochise, you've become more danger prone this week then in all the years I've known you." Letting out a soft laugh in an attempt to hide his worry, Josh gently pulled the burnt hand from the water once it had been under there for a minute or so. After years of his little sister's easy bake oven accidents and his own personal mistakes in the kitchen Josh was a master when it came to all things minor burn related. He was a master in all things minor injury related period for that matter.

"Let me see." Fingers turned the injured hand around by the wrist, looking over the reddened skin that would no doubt blister soon. Despite the redness it wasn't the worst burn Josh had ever seen and with a bit of ointment and air it would be fine after a couple of days. Sadly, it was the blond man's dominant hand, so for the remainder of the trip a lot of the things they could be doing with that hand would no longer be available to them.

"Well, the good news is that we won't have to amputate. The bad news is it's going to sting like a bitch for the remainder of the trip." Pushing the hand back under the water, the brunette shook his head with a small sigh, folding his arms over his chest. He really should have seen this coming. The kitchen was no place to be messing around and being all romantic, especially when there was boiling water and a fire going. "I can handle the rest of lunch. Might not be as good as what you could do but you need to let that soak and put some cream on it. I think we have some in the cabinet in the bathroom."

Josh knew that look that had flickered on the blond's face before he had turned around and went to search for the said cream. He had seen it on Chris' face on far more occasions than he would have liked to admit and even on his own face on a fair amount of occasions. It was the look of someone who felt as if they had just made a massive mistake that had ruined everything and it broke Josh's heart to see it on the blond after what had been such a pleasant moment. Letting out a small sigh, he debated going after the blond but in the end decided he would probably be better off quickly taking care of the food like he had said he would. 

This wasn't the first time that Chris had made a mistake like this. The younger man always been a bit awkward and clumsy, and on more then one occasion said clumsiness had led to them missing out on their original plans for the day. Day's that were supposed to have been spent at the waterpark turned into days where Josh came over with the newest Mario Party because the blond had twisted his ankle the day before. While Josh had never actually minded he had always known that the other male felt a great amount of guilt over denying Josh the chance to experience those things. It provided Josh with a struggle had had been having for some time now.

How could he convince him that it isn't what they were doing that was important, but the fact that he would be doing it with Chris?

Frowning softly to himself as he mopped up the water and tossed the towels over the side of one of the chairs to be dealt with later, the brunette split his attention between that and figuring out what to do with the food he had to work with. Straining the last of the water from the pot into the sink, he settled on dumping the cheese and some butter over the pasta in hopes of making some twisted Mac-N-Cheese monstrosity. He was pleased to see that whatever type of cheese his sisters had given him was quick to melt, and with a bit more butter he was able to create some semblance of a cheese sauce, albeit a very thick and gooey one. 

Chris returned just as Josh was mushing down the last remnants of solid cheese and the brunette was quick to smile at him. "Shit happens man. A bit of painkiller and some cream everyday and it'll be like it isn't even there." Dumping the mixture into a large bowl, Josh carried it over to the table with a pleased grin on his face, leaning over to press a kiss to Chris cheek as he set the bowl down and then tossed the towels to the counter. 

"I'm also always willing to lend you a hand in anyway you'd like." He whispered teasingly into Chris ear, unable to help himself with the pun before moving to serve them both their collaborated hot mess of a meal.

"You're going to be the death of me, Josh." Chris groaned face heavily flustered by the time he slid onto the chair, puling the plate of pasta closer. His stomach growled loudly at the smell of the cheese, and while it stuck on the fork and felt hot in his mouth, it was more than fulfilling.

His sour mood lifted not only because of the food, but because Josh seemed to remain in good mood as well. They would not let something as stupid as him burning himself ruin their time together.

The sisters would be less amused to see him hurt though.

"I have a feeling Hannah and Beth will end up just wrapping me in bubble wrap at this rate. Or possibly confine me in the bed for like... forever."

Shoveling forkfuls of the pasta into his mouth, the brunette was so centered on putting something in his stomach that he forget his basic table manners. Looking up with a clump of pasta spilling from his lips, he responded on instinct to Chris' comment about his sisters. The garbled mess that had supposed to be words spilled out of his mouth alongside the pasta and his face flushed as he realized his mistake.

Laughter spilled from his lips as he grabbed a napkin from one of the drawers, wiping the mess of cheese from his face. "Holy shit. That was charming. Aw man no sorry." The laughter continued as he wiped up the mess he had made, thankful most of the noodles had fallen back to his plate. "That was... that was great. King of class right here."

"Charming. No wonder I fell for you." Chris grinned cheekily.

Shaking his head Josh returned to the subject he had initially been responding to before his own brief moment of idiocy. "I was trying to say that with all those jackets I'm pretty sure bubble wrap would just be overkill. You're already walking around with three times as much padding as the rest of us"

"I get cold easily, it's not my fault! Would you rather have me cold and miserable just to see me in less layers?" Chris asked resting his elbow on the table, poking the meal with his fork before grinning at the other, bumping their legs together under the table.

"I'd be a pretty shit boyfriend if I did. Still think you should look into a hat though. It's not too late to take me up on the offer to keep the beanie." Returning the nudge with a gentle push with his heel, the brunette looked up and cast the younger man of those small, endearing little smiles that he was pretty well known for. 

"You're too adorable for your own good." Chris commented as the smile was directed to him, the blond carrying the now empty plate in the sink. With dismay he realized he could not do the dishes, not without causing more pain on his hand and he frowned down at the reddened skin before sighing softly.

"I'm afraid you're on the dish duty. I'll make it up to you, I promise." Chris said resting his hip against the counter before smiling at the other carefully.

Swallowing the rest of his meal up in a several large forkfuls, Josh followed Chris over to the sink and dumped his plate in to join its brother as the last bit of pasta slid down his throat. "Could be worse. Could be diaper duty." A playful wink turned into a slightly concerned frown as he noticed that his boyfriend didn't seem to be in the best of moods still. 

"If you want to head back on your own to get that looked at it would be fine with me, bro. We've got better stuff at the lodge for dealing with that and from where I'm standing its starting to blister up." Turning on the sink, Josh slipped open a cupboard pulled out the dish soap and a sponge, his gaze never leaving his boyfriend as he did so. "Might cut into our solo time now but save us time later, you know? Just a thought." 

"Sounds good, I'm sure the girls will keep me busy with their pampering and groaning." Chris chuckled, pecking Josh's cheek lightly before moving to grab his jacket that he tugged on, and snatched up the bag that he slung over his shoulder. "So I'll see you there? Don't stay out here for too long."

"Of course. I just want to clean up the bedroom a little bit and do the dishes. Oh, and do a once around to make sure that stuff to ward off the wild animals is still in place. Won't take longer then thirty... forty minutes tops." 

Being the ever courteous gentleman that Josh was he made his way to the door, opening it up for his lover and giving him a humble bow. "My dear sir. The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again." Pulling himself up, he winked at the other male playfully. "And we will meet again. Shortly. Preferably in the media room to watch whatever mysterious bit of visual fiction you deem worthy of our attention."

"You're such a dork." Chris laughed fondly, taking Josh's hand on his own before bringing it to his lips, pressing a light kiss on the other's knuckles. "I shall await for my lady to return to me." He said grinning, releasing his hold of Josh's hand before leaving the lodge.

He was immediately hit by the slightly cold breeze, causing him to tighten his hold of the bag as he started his trek back to the lodge. The air was crispy and despite the wind still rather warm, making the walk a pleasant ordeal-- if one did not count the burning ache in his lower back. The walk back did take a lot longer than usually because of that, yet he could not bring himself to care.

Why would he, since it was a reminder of their first night together as a couple?

Though by the time he reached the lodge, he realized that Josh had thrown him to the wolves, having to receive the worst heat by himself and cursed the other rather colorfully. 

Cheeks already flushed and nerves tightening a knot in his stomach, the blond opened the door and entered the lodge.


	13. Chapter 13

Closing the door once Chris was out of sight, the brunette made quick work of the chores inside of the cabin. The dishes were cleaned and then dried before slipping them back into the cabinet to be used another day. The clean sheets that Josh had set out several days before were going to be in need of another washing, but the covers seemed to be alright so he settled for stripping the sheets and pillow cases and folding the covers over the bed, sticking the pillow cases and the used towels into the sheets and then tying it all up to be carried back to the lodge. When the time came to remove the fladry he would bring the sheets back and remake the bed.

After making sure everything was closed up and everything was where it belonged, Josh tossed the last of his own personal belongings into his bag save for his little black book, pen and wallet. Biting his lip, he settled himself down at the table, opening the book to the center and pulling out several pieces of paper with careful precision. He didn't want Chris to one day look inside and find pages missing and thing Josh had cheated on him or something equally as troubling after all.

With the paper at the ready, he clicked open his pen and paused, biting his lips as he tried to think of what he should write. How exactly should he even address this strange man? He hadn't bothered to ask his name. Thinking it over for a good five minutes, he finally decided on the message he wanted to write and settled down to write it out in his best, most legible writing.

_Dear Mountain Warrior,_

_I wasn't exactly sure how to reach you but seeing as how you seem to have eyes all over the mountain I figured that this would be a safe bet._

_I don't know who you are or why you chose to hunt those creatures on the mountain. I won't even pretend to say that I would understand what it is that you do or why. What I do know is that you are risking your life to keep those things away from my family and for that I am eternally grateful._

_Clipped to this letter is all the money I have in my wallet right now. It's only a couple of hundreds but hopefully it will be enough to at least let you go into the nearest Walmart to pick up whatever it is you might need. I know you probably have your own way of doing things, but if you are out there risking your life for my family, friends and I then the least I can do is give you the money you need to have toilet paper to keep your ass clean and a warm coat on your shoulders._

_My friends will be leaving in roughly three more days to head back home. I will be staying an additional fourth day, possibly with my boyfriend, to clean up and make sure that everything is in order. At that time I will leave the spare keys to the lodge and guest cabin in the glove compartment of the old truck between here and the Lodge. You are free to use them to enter and exit the Lodge and the guest cabin as you please. There should be some leftover food in both and like I said and if you take a couple of blankets from the lodge or a pillow or two nobody will notice. Hell, so long as you don't make a mess you can pretty much squat there until summer. My parents haven't had any interest in coming up here in years and my sisters wouldn't come here without me._

_I'll stop by once a month to drop off some money in the glove compartment, as well as give you a warning if my family is planning to come up here anytime soon. If there is anything you need, don't be afraid to use a bit of paper from the Lodge to write me a note._

_I think that's all. Thank you again for everything you are doing up here. I know it's probably been a thankless job so hopefully I'll be able to make it up to you with this._

_Josh Washington_

Setting down his pen, Josh skimmed over the note before pulling out a bag clip from one of the drawers in the kitchen and attaching the money he mention. Pleased with his hand work, the young man nodded and shoved the book, pen and wallet in his bag. After stifling the fire, the brunette allowed his eyes to scan the room before, tossing his bag over his shoulder, the brunette opened the door to the cabin one more time, nudging the bundle of sheets, towels and pillow cases out before closing and locking the door behind him. 

After making sure that nobody might be hanging around to surprise him with a snowball, the youth slid under the fladry and made his way to a tree that was just far enough from the path that the note wouldn't be noticeable, but close enough that someone who was watching from afar might be able to spot it. Slipping the note onto a lower hanging branch, he waited for a second to make sure it was secure and wouldn't blow away or fall before grinning and making his way back to the cabin to pick up the clump of laundry and set out for the lodge.

***

Meanwhile, as Josh busied himself with his chores, the current residents of the lodge were suddenly bursting from their spots at the door to greet their newly deflowered friend. The second that Chris stepped through the door, he found himself being hit with a blast of party confetti and the sound of cheering from everyone. 

The clicking noise of Ashley, Jess and Hannah's phones followed as they took a photo of the shocked expression on the blond haired youths face and in Beth's arms sat a cake with bright pink frosting letters and black cherry decorations that read "Congrats on the Sex!" 

"Woohoo! Our Chris is a virgin no more! Look at that limp!" Jess said, scanning her phone over the blond as she switched to video. "And is that Josh's favorite beanie I see on your head?"

"Oh my god you guys are the worst, the absolute worst!" Chris cried out shaking the confetti from the beanie, yet was unable to stop himself from laughing at the whole ordeal. Trust their friends to do something as silly as celebrating a loss of virginity.

"Think of it this way, at least you won't be the virgin sacrifice in a pagan ritual." Sam pointed out amused, causing the blond to let out another bright laugh. It was a good look on Chris, the happiness radiating from him in waves that immediately bathed the others in a good mood as well.

"Where'd you leave Josh?" Beth asked glancing behind Chris at the empty spot. "He's on his way, he remained to clean up seeing as I uh... burnt my hand?" The last part of the sentence came out as a question, his shoulders already rising up in defense at the lashing he knew was to come.

Exchanging a look with her sister, Hannah stepped forward to take a look at the blonde's injured hand, noticing the redness and the blister that had formed while the man had been returning to the Lodge. Unable to resist herself she made a tsking noise and shook her head. "Well this is what happens when you try to fool around in the kitchen. Be glad it wasn't your ass. I'm sure it's sore enough as is."

Unable to help herself, the girl burst into a fit of snickering as more laughter followed. After a long moment of teasing the oldest of the two twins finally returned to some semblance of control, pushing her glass up her nose and shaking her head. "In all seriousness though, let's pop a small hole in the blister and put some burn ointment on. I'm sure you probably put something on in the cabin but this needs specialized cream to really heal well." Gently taking the blond man's wrist she pushed through the group and towards the kitchen and the medical kit.

"...Damnit. There goes my spending money for the month." Mike said, frowning as he watched the two go off, pulling out his wallet and dishing out fives to several awaiting hands, Ashley following suit with a small sigh. 

"You gave Chris waaaaaaaaaaay too much credit. I can understand Ashley but I would have thought you would know better Mike. He screams awkward virgin all over him." Emily said with a teasing smile, nudging her boyfriend as she placed the ten dollars into the pocket of her expensive designer coat.

***

Poking a hole into the blister the a pair of medical scissors so that skin underneath could breath, Hannah carefully applied the burn ointment to the injured flesh, careful not to let too much into the little hole lest her patient spend the rest of the day cringing. 

"I hope he did not scare you, Josh tends to get a bit excited about... well, everything when you're thrown into the mix." Beth said leaning her hip against the counter, watching her sister nurse Chris' hand.

"Nothing I could not handle, don't worry." Chris chuckled biting back a wince as the lotion was applied on the sensitive skin. "He was surprisingly romantic."

The words drew a snort from Beth's lips. "Josh and romantic in the same sentence? You sure you laid with our brother?"

"I mean... not while we were doing.. things." Chris stammered out flustered. "But he was thoughtful, and well.... he added my name in the book. On the last page. Told me there wasn't going to be anyone else."

Looking up at Chris, it was clear that Hannah was impressed by her brother's action.

"That is... adorable. I didn't know Josh was capable of something so adorably sappy, at least not with anyone other than us. Did you know he wrote us a lullaby when he was seven? He sung it to us every day for five years, give or take the times he was away at that camp of his." Letting out a soft laugh, the young woman released Chris' hand, pondering the reason behind her usually romantically challenged brothers' actions. Josh had always been a very loving person, but he was also complex in how he showed his feelings, usually reserving the more intimate, vulnerable side of himself to stay hidden from the world outside of a select few moments. 

Chris had probably been subject to a few of their brothers sappy moments, but now that they were dating it meant that Josh would most likely open that side of himself to the blond even more. It also kind of made sense that Josh would do something like with his book. Chris was the love of his life, at least that's what she believed and for someone like Josh, who placed a lot of value in the people that he truly let close to him, he'd want Chris to understand how committed he was. 

"So, you threw us a... celebration for having sex." Chris stated simply after a moment of silence.

"Josh finally took you to the bone-zone, how could we not?" Beth laughed. "We're going to eat cake, drink and play truth and dare. It's going to be fun." She grinned, causing Chris to once again reconsider his choice of friends before laughing.

"What is this that I hear about cake, booze and truth and dare?" Closing the door behind him, Josh's lips twisted into a smile as he slid into the kitchen from one of the side entrances, effectively avoiding the group waiting for him in the front. Dropping the collection of dirty laundry at the door to be dealt with later, he enjoys the rush of warmth that comes from being inside once more. 

Coming to slide up beside his boyfriend, a hand absentmindedly went to adjust the beanie that currently rested on the younger man's head so that the bandage that was peaking out in the back was hidden. "And here I was thinking Chris and I were going to have a nice night of B-class sci-fi horror movies." Chuckling, he looked between the two girls and then down at Chris. "What do you think? Movies or a night of debauchery in our honor?" 

From where she stood, Hannah shook her head, more then used to Josh casually butting into conversations. There was also a surge of relief that came at seeing her brother back home safely, as what had happened several nights earlier still made her uneasy enough to lock the Lodge up at night. "You wouldn't turn down a party where you are the guests of honor, would you?"

"Hannah has a point there." Chris agreed chuckling, not even startled by the older man's sudden appearance. There was a time when Josh startled him more than once by managing to sneak up on him like this, but as years passed by, he was getting used to the brunette appearing from what seemed to be thin air.

"We can watch movies later after the party if we feel like it, but if I had to go through the others teasing words and mockery, then it's only right that I'm pulling you down with me." The blond added grinning, turning his head to brush a light kiss against Josh's palm as it slid down from the beanie he had been adjusting.

"Night of debauchery it is then." The casual tone in Josh's voice did little to hide the fact that he was actually looking forward to a round of truth and dare with their friends. Josh was pretty well known for his boldness during such games, his lack of impulse control generally leading to him accepting and doing a bunch of dares that others would usually slink away from, be it from embarrassment or just the sheer absurdity. 

He was also infamously famous for his creative dares and interesting, strangely insightful truth questions.

"Let's get this party on the road before somebody starts wondering why I haven't popped through the front door, hm? Last I need is another lecture about keeping with the group." Ignoring the look he received from Hannah, who clearly didn't find his reference to the earlier scare funny in the slightest, he offered them all a grin and a wink. 

"You're a real asshole sometimes Josh. You know that?" The older of the two girls said as she shook her head, before moving to collect some plates and forks for the cake that currently sat waiting for them in the other room. 

"So I'm told. You guys still love me anyway." The older Washington responded as he moved instinctively to help his sister out, taking hold of the plates while she grabbed the forks from the drawer.

"Well be careful, we just might change our minds if you keep joking about that." Chris pointed out, not really liking the reminder either. It had lead to an aftermath he would not want to dwell upon, even if in the end it had lead into their first, very awkward first kiss.

By the time they were clattering around with the plates, the others had realized that Josh was already in the lodge with them which had Sam bumping her shoulder against Josh's lightly. "You sneaked in from the back, didn't you? It's not going to save you though." She grinned pulling back just in time when the second confetti rain exploded around them, covering the plates and mostly Josh in the pink confetti much to others amusement.

"Wonderful! Now I look like Cousin It's really flamboyant twin brother." The playful grumbling was purely an act and one that the oldest of their group wasn't very convincing with either as the grin still was pressed upon his lips as he plucked the pink strands of confetti off his body, the party starting as their group all celebrated the two boys finally going to the bone-zone. 

The cake was simple but tasty, coated in a thick homemade frosting that had a slight buttercream flavoring and a pleasantly rich chocolate cake inside. Without thinking too much about it, Josh took his spot beside Chris as they chatted with their friends about nothing and everything as they ate, only for Josh to take the time when everyone seemed to at least be somewhat looking at them to slip his cherry onto Chris' plate in a way the blond and everyone else would clearly take notice to.

"What's this?" Chris asked surprised, poking the cherry on his plate with obvious confusion as his gaze darted from the red berry back to Josh. "I thought you liked cherries."

"Josh has that look on his face again." Beth moaned quietly, tugging her beanie over her eyes as if that alone could protect her from what was to come. 

"What look?" Matt asked confused.

"The one that says there's a very bad pun on it's way." Sam clarified.

From her spot standing next to her best friend, Hannah raised up her phone, clicking the photo button and then the video option as she waited for the inevitable horror that was about to come from her siblings mouth. Beth was right. That look spoke volumes about the travesty of a joke that was about to come from Josh's mouth and she had no doubt that Chris' response would be totally worthy of recording. 

Josh's eyes only seemed to twinkle at Chris' obviously confused look, so glad that the blond hadn't immediately realized the implications of his actions so that he could say them out loud. Leaning in closer to his boyfriend, the brunette's smile spoke volumes towards what his intentions were with his little gift. "Well considering you gave me yours last night I thought it would only be fair it I gave you mine."

In the background Sam facepalmed, Matt groaned and Beth hid herself deeper under her beanie, as if refusing to admit that the dork of a man was his brother.

Chris however, went through various of expressions and emotions. Confusion gave way to embarrassment that flooded his face with color and caused his mouth to drop, which in turn was taken over by shock that quickly transformed into disbelief. "You-- you utter arse!" The blond squeaked, his hand finding the piece of cake that was left on the plate and promptly squished it against Josh's grinning face with a wet squelch.

Dark green eyes slowly opened through a mess chocolate crumbs and sticky, sweet goo, smile fading as his fingers went up to run through the mess that was now on his face. In the distance, he could make out the laughter and reactions of their friends. 

Jess' disbelieving statement about that really happening. 

Emily calling them a pair of dorks. 

Mike's slightly uncomfortable but sincere chuckle. 

Ashley's exasperated giggle. 

It all seemed dulled at that moment as he collected the remnants of Chris' cake from his face, lips pursed together and head nodding slightly.

"I deserved that." Was his words of acknowledgement towards his boyfriends actions, face unreadable for a moment as he continued to collect the cake from his face. "I absolutely deserved that. But you know what..." Looking at Chris, the man's slight upwards tilt of his mouth and the sudden burst of mischief in his eyes was the only hint towards what he was about to do. "I do believe that cake is always meant to be shared with the ones you love."

The slow, careful smearing of cake across the lower half of Chris' face was perhaps even funnier then the initial sudden smack of it against Josh's. The brunette somehow still managed to considerately keep the younger man's glasses clean as he went about 'sharing' the cake, which brought a small, amused gasp from Hannah and the others. Yet before Chris could process a response he was leaning in to press a kiss to his lover's lips.

His face sticky with frosting and the taste of chocolate and Josh on his lips, Chris couldn't help but melt against his boyfriend. The kiss was kept surprisingly chaste and sweet, which only caused Chris' heart to flutter and his cheeks to flush lightly.

Not that it could be seen beneath the dark chocolate.

His boyfriend was a dork.

A lovable, hilarious yet sometimes very idiot of a dork.

Sam of course swooned slightly at the sight much to Beth's amusement, yet even she had to agree that she had not seen Josh this content or happy in what felt like forever. There was just this certain kind of light around him whenever he was around the blond, and she felt thankful that her brother had found someone like Chris in his life.

It was Mike who was the one who ruined the moment for Chris and Josh, stepping up and letting out a small cough as he drew everyone's attention to him. "So, are we going to bust out the booze and play Truth or Dare or are we just going to stand here watching them suck face all night?" Slapping his palms together, he offered everyone a look that seemed to suggest his eagerness to carry on with the rest of the festivities. If it was out of discomfort over the two both being men or simply because of the fact he was eager for a bit of debauchery no one could be certain.

Chuckling as he pulled away from his boyfriend's mouth, Josh allowed his tongue to dart out and collect a couple of bits of frosting as he looked towards Mike. "Yeah, yeah. I can take a hint big guy. You all gather round in the great room while Chris and I wash our faces and grab us all something fun to drink." Slipping his hand into Chris', he gently tugged the younger man away and back into the kitchen, rolling his eyes once they arrived.

"I swear I am going to make him squirm during this game." Josh admitted as he slid his hand out of his boyfriends and turned on the sink, hastily scrubbing off the remnants of cake from his face. "Not sure how yet, but I will."

"I think he's still trying to get used to the idea of having us around him like this. You know, doing couple stuff." Chris replied peering at himself from the mirror, releasing a snort at the sight of the frosting and chocolate. "I think I could handle a beard, don't you?" He teased before dipping his hands in the water, starting to scrub the chocolate from his face.

"Don't even THINK about it." Wiping his face with one of the nearby paper towels, the brunette shook his head and gave Chris a very serious look. "If you grew a beard you'd end up looking like one of the pretentious hipster assholes that like to hang out at Starbucks and tell me about their homemade indie films when all I want to do is get a damn latte. Do you know how many pricks have told me how 'avant garde' their piece of shit documentary is while simultaneously trying to sniff their way into my butthole so they have an excuse to my dad?" 

The deadpan look on Josh's face made the reality of his words all the more real. Being the son of a well known film director and producer, Josh had spent a majority of his life having people try and get into his good graces in order to receive the perks that his family's wealth and position had to offer. It had been one of the reasons why he had become so incredibly close to Chris, as it had been made painfully obvious from day one that the blond had been drawn to Josh due to a legitimate, sincere bond and not because Josh had money or influence. 

Turning towards the trash, the brunette made a swooshing noise as he shot the bundled up paper towel he had wiped his face with towards the basket, only to miss by a good deal. Flashing Chris a grin, he continued on as if the troubling implications of his words had long since become numb to him. "Twelve. The answer is twelve." Heading towards the trash, he slumped a bit as he had to lean down and actually toss the trash in. "So no, no beard." 

Having thought well ahead of time, Josh had already taken it upon himself to store away several twelve packs of beers in the kitchen, and while one seemed to be missing a few beers they were otherwise completely untouched. Probably because he had stressed wanted to save most of the drinking for later on into their trip. "Think four of these will be enough for now?" He asked as he headed over to the where he had stashed the amber colored liquid that they would be using to get completely sloshed that evening.

"Yeah, yeah I think that's good enough." Chris replied shaking himself out of his thoughts as he wiped his face on the towels before joining Josh again. Unable to let the possible bitter taste remain, Chris pecked Josh's cheek lightly before smiling. "You could be poor as fuck and living on the streets, and I still would have fallen for you."

"I know, and that's why I love you." The giant smile that slid onto Josh's face made it clear that Chris' words did wonders to wipe any remnants of displeasure from the older man's mind. Handing two of the twelve packs over to Chris before taking two himself, the brunette stopped only to briefly give his boyfriend a quick wink. "Well, that and your rocking body. Oh and the mouth. I love your mouth. I have no idea why." 

Josh knew exactly why, but he didn't want to tell Chris and risk the younger man dropping fifteen pounds worth of alcohol on his foot due to Josh's rather colorful imagination. No, it would be better to pretend that he didn't know why. At least until a more opportune time. Like later. In Josh's bedroom.


	14. Chapter 14

The pair returned to the group to find them all gathered in a circle on the floor of the great room, what looked to be the empty bottle of vodka that Chris and Josh had finished off the first night they were here carefully settled in the middle. It had become a rule that during games of Truth and Dare that they spin in order to decide who asked who what, as opposed to allowing people to choose. Mainly due to the fact that Josh and Chris had literally spent two hours going back and forth daring each other as everyone was forced to watch the two with steadily increasing boredom. 

"Alright, ladies and tools. Your booze has arrived." Dropping the twelve packs down by the couch, Josh handed everyone a bottle as Chris set the remaining two crates down and took a seat. After ensuring everyone had at least one beer in hand, Josh took his usual place between his sisters, leaving Chris to take a spot between Ashley and Mike. Starting from Josh, this made the order of their circle Josh, Beth, Matt, Ashley, Chris, Mike, Emily, Jess, Sam, Hannah. A good as setup as any he supposed. 

"Did you guys decide who spins first or are we doing that now?" The brunette pressed, looking curiously at the group.

"Matt's going to spin first." Beth replied bringing the bottle of mead to her lips slowly. She was not much of a drinker, but she made an exception during social gatherings like this. One could not hurt, and besides, she could film everyone's drunken actions with her sister later.

As Matt spun the bottle, all eyes fell onto Hannah as it landed on her, the young woman pursing her lips as she thought about a response. It was too early to start in on the dares. She was neither brave or drunk enough to go down that road just yet. So much to the eternal disappointment of her older brother she shrugged out a simple response. "Truth."

Matt seemed to ponder about it a moment, clearly not wanting to overstep any kind of boundary when considered how much of an arse they had been towards Hannah earlier that week.

"Alright, what is the most embarrassing thing you have on your phone right now?" He finally settled on, leaning back against his arms.

"Wait, as in the most embarrassing thing about Hannah, or most embarrassing in general?" Chris asked confused, taking another sip of his beer.

"I'd say in general, much more interesting that way." Beth suggested, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and Matt shrugged. "Sure, in general then. The most embarrassing thing you can find."

Josh immediately began to squirm, his gaze turning towards the older of the twins as he watched Hannah's phone light up, following where she was going with his eyes before letting out a small whine. "Hannah... please... not that one... please..."

"I'm sorry dear brother, but it is the rule of the game and I must comply." The grin on Hannah's face spoke volumes towards unapologetic she really was with sharing this particular video. It was gold and she had been saving it for a year for just such an occasion. "Before I start this, I would like to tell you all one bit of information that makes this soooo much better."

"Hannah..." 

"And that is the Arabic spoken in this video roughly translates to 'Are you a sexual deviant.'"

"No..." Shrinking back and burying his face in his hands, Josh could do little more then accept what was about to happen. At least his sister wouldn't suffer any humiliation, even if it did cost him a fair bit of his dignity.

Switching the widescreen, Hannah set the phone down in the center of their little circle and pressed the play button.

_Sitting in the main living room of the main Washington Estate, an elderly woman can be seen sitting beside Beth on the couch. While she is obviously a fair bit older then the younger woman the resemblance is incredibly strong, making it immediately clear that the woman is most likely the paternal grandmother of the Washington children._

_"Teta, look over here and give me a smile please." Hannah's voice says, drawing the gaze of the elderly woman, who smiles at the sight of the camera, her green eyes sparkling in delight._

_"Oh! Are you taking a picture?" The woman's voice is heavy with an Egyptian accent, but her words are crystal clear, the woman clearly having a firm grasp of English._

_Laughing, the video shakes as Hannah shakes her head no. "A video actually!"_

_Just as the old woman is about to press for more information the sound of Josh's voice can be heard screaming through the house. "HOLY SHIT IT CAME IN! HANNAH! BETH! CHECK IT OUT!" The young man's delight was clearly evident in his voice and the sound of pounding footsteps from above as the oldest of the Washington children ran downstairs to his sisters and then through the halls to their location being the only thing they hear from him until he rounds the corner._

_Wearing little more than his boxers, a white tank top and one of those infamously famous horseheads that could be seen around the internet._

_"CHRIS IS GOING TO FREAK HIS SHIT WHEN HE GETS HERE TOMOR-..."_

_The room goes silent as the three woman sit there and stare at the young man, the oldest of their party bearing a look of absolute shock on her weathered face. From behind the phone Hannah's voice can softly be heard whispering 'Oh my god...' in a tone that suggested she was trying to hold back a fit of giggles while Beth was visibly struggling to keep her own laughter in check._

_Slowly, Josh pulls the horsehead mask off his head, a dark red blush on his face as he stands there squirming awkwardly under his grandmother's gaze. His green eyes are now locked onto his bare feet, his embarrassment so strong that he it could probably be felt through the phone. Finally, he manages to gather up enough strength to speak, his voice low and his tone timid. "Oh... hey Teta...how long have you been here?"_

_Another long bit of silence followed before the elder woman finally spoke, first to gently say Josh's name and then adding in several words in Egyptian Arabic that immediately sent Josh's face alight as he squeaked out a very loud 'NO!' that was followed by both Hannah and Beth losing control of their laughter as the video ends._

"And that... is the most embarrassing thing on my phone." Hannah said with a very pleased looking smile on her face.

The silence was loud in the room after the video ended, everyone seeming to digest what they had just witnessed.

Then Chris snorted, effectively nearly choking on his beer. "Oh my god! How come you never told me about that?!"

After that, it was like a dam had opened. Everyone seemed to be in different levels of hysterics, the Washington sisters and Chris laughing the loudest of them all. Chris had to cover his face in his arm to hide how red he had become, and Matt seemed to struggle between showing sympathy towards the older man in the group or joining the others in the laughter.

"Okay no, that was probably the funniest thing I've seen in months!" Jess said as she clung to Emily's arm, the blond girl needing the support of her slightly more stable best friend in order to keep herself from falling over she was laughing so hard. Mike seemed to be on the somewhere safely between Matt and Sam's level amusement, casting sympathetic looks at Josh who had fallen back and curled up to hide the redness of his face. Even Ashley was laughing at the brunette, holding onto Hannah and Chris' arms as she let out a burst of good natured laughter.

Thankfully, they didn't linger TOO long, partly out of a mercy to Josh and partly because they were curious as to what was coming next in the game. Still, Josh took the moment to flip Jess the bird and creatively kick both of his siblings in the bum for their betrayal. "I will get you two back for this. I will." He warned, before sliding back up into a sitting position, face still red but the smile on his face suggesting he was not truly angry.

Hannah just let out a hum of dismissal before leaning forward and spinning the empty bottle in the center, watching it twirl around once, twice, three times before coming to a stop at none other than her brother's new boyfriend. "Okay Chris. Truth. Or dare." 

Everyone knew that ending up 'chosen' when one of the Washingtons spun the bottle, you were in trouble. Now Josh, he was usually the pure deviant, his dares and truths bordering on the line of 'too much' that had many of them squirming more than once.

Unfortunately, Beth had taken after her brother, even if she sometimes felt pity and would give them some challenges they could actually survive.

Hannah in turn, was the most gentle of them all. She did not seem to care much about sexual knowledge, but that did not mean that her challenges were any less prying.

In other words, Chris was fucked, and everyone knew that.

"Uh.... truth, I'm not drunk enough to handle any dares right now."

Thoughtfully tapping her finger against the side of her beer bottle, Hannah took a moment to observe the young man before her. Putting the bottle to her lips, she took a careful sip of her beer as her lips curled into a devious smile that told them all just how screwed he was. "I suppose it is only fair that after showing off one of Josh's most embarrassing moments that I do him a favor... so why don't you tell us in full detail what a perfect date with Josh would be for you." Sliding back in her seat, Hannah's eyes watched her brother's boyfriend like a hawk would a rabbit. "Oh and no bullshit answer like 'Oh just a day hanging around on the couch watching movies'. I want the full third grade girl fantasy date."

From beside her Josh had already seemed to perk up in interest, his green eyes locked onto his boyfriend and an eager, slightly amused smile on his face. While Hannah may have only been using him as an excuse to make Chris squirm, Josh was admittedly a bit curious as to what the blond would respond with. After all, it wasn't everyday that you were handed your boyfriends ideal date on a silver platter.

"Oh my god, Hannah." Chris groaned hiding his face embarrassed. "Scratch my earlier statement, I'm not drunk enough for any of this crap." He muttered much to the others amusement, tilting his head back a bit.

"So I really can't just say watching movies or playing games while eating pizza?" He tried again, and this time it was Beth who shook her head. "You guys do that all the time either way. Come on, if you had one day you would spend in any way you wanted, like a date, how would it go?"

Chris turned a deeper shade of red, the blond bringing the mouth of the bottle to his lips instinctively as he thought about the question. Much like with a pen, the blond's teeth tapped against the glass gently, before his lips wrapped around it and eventually he tipped the bottle over to take another swallow of the beer.

"I don't know.... I suppose it would be something mixed with either the stars or the fireworks." The blond finally admitted. "I'm not much of an outdoor person as everyone here knows, but there's something unique and beautiful in the fireworks. It's something to get lost to, something to admire and remember for days afterward."

Chris smiled a bit, fingers running through his hair. "I suppose that's how I'd want it to end, sharing a kiss under those sparks of light. But during the day, I think it would be kind of cool to visit an amusement park or a carnival, as I've never been to neither of those. Or perhaps the aquarium, that'd be pretty cool too. Either way, just to experience something I've never done before with... with Josh." He finished lamely, blinking himself back into reality before giving the others a flustered smile.

Cute. That was really the only way to describe what Chris had just said. It was undeniably the most sugary, innocent, cute date that one could possibly think up and from the looks of it Mike was having a really hard time not snickering into the back of his hand while the girls all seemed to nod in agreement over how nice that idea sounded, even if it was rather cliché. 

Josh's green eyes were distant, his expression unreadable to all of them, as if he was lost in his thoughts. Chris' had just described his dream date and his mind had immediately gone out to all the best possible locations to carry out that date. Amusement park, carnival, aquarium... fireworks. Where could he get the feeling of all of those things? His lips curled into a massive grin when he finally figured it out.

"Dude, I am SO taking you to Disney World during spring break." 

Even Hannah seemed shocked by his statement, a fact that only had Josh grinning even wider. "For real though! It's supposed to be the happiest place on earth right?! And I KNOW you've always wanted to go at least once." Wiggling his eyebrows, Josh watched his boyfriends reaction to his suggestion.

Josh's statement caused Beth honest to god _squeal_ at the mere thought of the boys spending their first vacation together as a couple in Disney Land. "And it's like.... one of the most romantic places too! If you don't count all the children screaming around you but that's just details."

Chris however, stared at Josh like he had grown a second head. The statement had come out of nowhere, and for a moment it seemed like the blond could not manage to utter a single word in response. "Dude... are you serious?" He finally asked releasing a soft laugh, fingers brushing against his chin absently as he grinned at the thought. 

"Yeah, I... I think that's a great idea." The blond agreed, fingers moving to nudge his glasses out of instinct. 

"I'll look into getting tickets and a hotel room then!" Josh said, absolutely beaming as he sat there looking every bit as smitten with this idea as he was with the young man who had just agreed to it. Beth was right. It was an incredibly romantic destination. Josh just hoped that it would be everything that Chris would hope for.

"If you two don't bring all of us back those dumb little hats with the ears you are both dead to me." Folding her arms over her chest, Jess couldn't help but take delight in the exchange. 

"I'll bring you those hats if you can go through your dare." Chris replied grinning as the bottle stopped and pointed at Jess, fingers drumming against the side of his bottle as he thought for a good moment for a dare for Jess. 

"I dare you to drink whatever cocktail I manage to mix up in the kitchen." Chris finally smirked, pushing himself up from the floor and retired in the kitchen to mix the certain drink.

"I'm not sure it was wise to choose dare, who knows what he'll mix up together." Sam commented glancing at Jess worriedly. "Their kitchen is rather big."

"It'll be fine! It's Chris. He won't put anything dangerous in there." Waving the concern off, the blond haired girl waited patiently for whatever it was that Chris decided to come out with.

Despite the dare, Chris did not want Jessica to end up feeling sick from his drink. At least not for too long-- besides, the beer could wash off the aftertaste from her mouth and hopefully get her drunk faster than usually.

The blond hummed to himself as he found one of the smaller glasses from the cabinet, and started to pile different ingredients upon the table. Some he pushed away immediately, like cinnamon or chili pepper, but some of the ingredients he cherished until he had done the perfect cocktail for the girl.

He returned with a glass of sickeningly yellow liquid in it, topped off with actual clumps where the vanilla powder had not mixed properly with the rest of the liquid. The sight of it had Beth gagging slightly, nose scrunching in obvious displeasure while Emily looked positively green.

"Here you go, bottoms up." Chris grinned handing the other blond the glass. "It's a vinegar-vanilla powder-lemon juice-soy sauce-curry mix."

Hannah took one look at the mix and shook her head, burying her face in her older brother's shoulder and muttering about how she could not watch Jess drink Chris' monstrosity of a 'beverage', something that Josh had responded to with a laugh and a shrug. "It could be a lot worse with what's in that kitchen." He noted, trying to at least offer some comfort to the young woman who is about to down the cocktail from hell. 

"Ewww... just... eww. That looks... oh my god eww..." Ashley couldn't help but stare at the drink with a mixture of horror and wonder, hand pressed against her mouth as she let out a gagging noise.

"I can smell it from here, holy shit." Mike said, a disgusted look on his face as Chris handed the glass over to the girl sitting next to him. "Are those clumps? Ugh..." Despite his words he let out a laugh, clearly impressed by Chris' ingenuity. 

Jess, not so much. 

At the sight and smell of the liquid her face had immediately scrunched up, lips pursing together as she smiled weakly at the abomination she was about to consume. There was no point in asking if she could just take a sip. Her friends were assholes after all and no doubt would pressure her into drinking the whole thing.

"Okay. Okay. I can do this. I'm going to close my eye and pinch my nose... and just go. Em... Mike... you might wanna pull back just a bit though. I won't make any promises about what happens after I drink this." Taking several deep breaths, Jess watched as her best friend and said best friend's boyfriend shuffled back out of range of any potential puking. 

Raising the fingers of her free hand to her nose, the girl pinched it shut, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath through her mouth as she raised the glass to her lips. She could do this. She had eaten plenty of gross things that the children she had babysat for had made for her. She could do this. Another deep breath later and the young woman was dumping the mixture down her throat as quickly as humanly possible.

It tasted just as bad as expected and the moment the glass was empty she dumped it on the ground and made for her beer, guzzling the booze down. The vanilla clumps still lingered at the back of her throat even now, and she was thankful to Mike and Emily who handed her their own bottles of beer to help remove the vinegar and lemon aftertaste. 

It was only after she had consumed all three of their drinks that she was finally able to relax again, though the expression on her face indicated that there was still something lingering on her tongue. "GOD CHRIS THAT WAS AWFUL! UGGH!"

Chris threw his head back with a laugh. The expression on Jessica's face was absolutely priceless, and the fact she had downed three beers in one go after that cocktail told him enough how disgusting the taste had been. "I don't know, it looked like you were enjoying it." He teased, earning a punch on his arm from Sam. 

"Oh fuck you! I never want to taste lemon ever again..." Jess snapped, taking a couple of deep breaths to keep herself from vomiting up what she had just swallowed. It seemed she wasn't the only one, as Hannah was making retching noises against Josh's shoulder enough now and Ashley had excused herself for the bathroom. Even Mike looked rather green until Beth returned with the air freshener, Ashely returning a bit later with a plastic waste basket.

Just in case. 

By the time everyone had returned to their seats Jess was feeling far more drunk then she was sick. Spinning the bottle WAY more hard than necessary, it took a good couple of seconds before it finally stopped before the oldest of the three Washington children. 

"Oh, I'm not even going to bother asking you Josh. We all know you're going to choose dare." The girl said with a roll of her eyes, to which Josh shrugged and grinned, nodding his head.

"You know me so well Jessica." 

"Josh you've picked dare every time since were in the fifth grade. It's not even a question anymore." Hannah pointed out as she shook her head at her brother's reckless choices when it game to party games. 

Josh only let out an amused laugh and another shrug of his shoulders. "What can I say? I'm a very daring individual." The groans that followed his pun only made him laugh more. Thankfully, he spared the group any further puns by taking a drink from his own beer, watching Jess thoughtfully for her challenge.

Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Jess didn't surprise anyone when she finally came up with a dare that was a perfect mixture of slightly sexual and slightly cute. "I dare you to... sit in somebodies lap for the rest of the game."

"Is that all? Really? I would have thought you would come up with something better then that Jess." Shaking his head at what sounded to be a rather lackluster dare, Josh shifted in his seat, collecting his beer as his green eyes shot towards the location of the two young men opposite of him. It was obvious what she was trying to do. She wanted him to sit in Chris' lap and then they would all laugh over how flustered the blond would become over Josh's shameless behavior. 

Sadly, Josh was not the predictable type and it wasn't as if she had specified exactly whose lap he had to sit on. Needless to say, when Josh stood up and made his way around their circle only to casually settle himself down not his boyfriends lap but Mike's, it certainly came as a rather comical surprise to a fair few of their group.

Well, with the exception of his sisters. Hannah knew immediately that Josh would fail to meet Jess' expectations and had already plucked out her phone to record her older brother's decision.

If Josh had not mentioned earlier that evening that he would find a way to make Mike squirm, Chris might have felt just a tad jealous that Josh chose the other brunette over him. Now however he felt nothing but amusement as he watched the startled expression on Mike's face bleed into one of discomfort, while Beth tried her best to keep herself from laughing.

"Well, that's tame and lame." Chris stated amused, fingers closing around a pen that he had found from the table next to his beer, and just like usually brought it to his lips as he thought over the situation. Most of their friends knew not to lend Chris their pens if the blond was working on something, because the chances of retrieving that said pen without any teeth marks on it were slim to none.

It was almost as if Chris was punishing Josh for choosing to sit in Mike's lap instead of his. The way that his boyfriend's pink lips gently brushed over the pen in his mouth sent a lot of rather naughty visuals into Josh's brain. If it weren't for the fact that he knew Chris to be completely oblivious to Josh's reaction to his oral fixation he probably would have thought the blond insanely devious, if not downright cruel. Instead, Chris was merely doing what he did, obliviously unaware of just how awkward he was making the situation for Josh and by extension Mike.

Thankfully Matt's some-what slurred reminder that it was his turn to spin was a good distraction to the way his lover was currently lavishing his oral attentions on an inanimate object and Josh swung full force into the game. He was almost thankful that it was Ashley that he landed on. After all, he couldn't very well subject the youngest of their party to one of his usual mean spirited dares. She was too pure, too untainted for something like that. Which meant he had to think of something a little less severe for his boyfriend's second best friend. 

The next thirty minutes passed in a way that was both too fast and too slow, with everyone getting progressively more and more drunk as time went on. Jess had indeed needed the bucket that Ashley had so thoughtfully provided and Josh was fairly certain Matt was no longer able to stand up on his own. Josh himself was pleasantly buzzed to the point where his usual expressiveness was now tripled and more often then not Mike had to grab hold of his waist to keep him from tumbling over. 

Of course, Josh's squirming did not go unfelt by the brunette underneath him, a fact that Mike had become aware of roughly twenty-five minutes into their game and was now actively trying to make sure Josh did not notice. It was not that Mike was attracted to Josh. Far from it, as the class president's sexuality solidly stood in pure heterosexuality. Yet when a man had someone squirming against his crotch for a half an hour their body tended to react regardless of their sexual orientation. Thus leaving him in a very uncomfortable position.

It was just as Josh shifted himself back a bit that the older brunette happened to realize the situation as well, his green eyes momentarily going wide as he nearly choked on the beer that he was drinking. Subconsciously, Mike's fingers gripped at the pants of his older friend, pleading him not to draw attention to what was currently going on in Mike's pants.

Ten more minutes passed, with Josh's body getting progressively more tense with each passing moment. Neither of the two wanted to draw attention to what had happened but both were incredibly uncomfortable. It was only when an accidental shift that had Mike's cock rubbing firmly against the cleft of Josh's ass that the older man deemed his mistake worth accepting. "Hey Jess... do I really have to sit on Mike's lap for the rest of the game?" He pressed softly, causing the girl to raise her eyebrow in response.

"Josh you CHOSE to sit there. Don't tell me you're backing down now." She responded, more then a little amused.

"You did kind of seal your own grave with that one Josh." Hannah added, though something about the twinkle in her eyes told Josh that she was completely aware of exactly what was going on, unlike the rest of the group who seemed relatively oblivious. From the way she had angled her phone so that it stood up in her lap, he was pretty sure she was even taping.

Biting at his lip, the brunette did his best not to start squirming again. All eyes were now on them and his discomfort was becoming more painfully obvious as seconds passed by. "Well yeah, but his legs are probably numb, right?"

Jess sat there, her blue eyes slowly going wide as she brought her hand to her lips, realization flashing through her gaze as she took in the slightly flushed look on both of the men's faces. "Oh my god..." Shaking her head, Jess held up her hands. "Sorry Josh, but I don't think that numb legs will get you out of this one. I mean... if there was something a bit more... PRESSING then maybe we might take pity on you and let you switch... BUTT..."

"MIKE'S HARD DICK IS DIGGING INTO MY ASS JESSICA AND I'M SUPER UNCOMFORTABLE PLEASE LET ME MOVE!" Josh half-yelled and half-squeaked at the blond hair girl, his face erupting into a burst of red as Mike let out a thoroughly embarrassed groan.

Chris choked on his beer at the squeaked words, Matt having to clumsily clap his back to stop him from coughing his lungs out. Water sprung in the blond's eyes, and he was only partly aware how everyone else were in various states of hysterics, especially when they realized Hannah was once again filming her brother do something stupid that would no doubt amuse her later.

The blond youth however felt anything but amusement. Sure, it was hilarious how both Josh and Mike's faces were flaming, but there was something else that was trying to claw its way out of his chest. Something a bit darker, something that growled about his claim on the oldest man.

Something he had not really felt before.

He didn't stop to think just what it was that he was feeling, all he could focus on was that he wanted Josh away from Mike as soon as possible.

So when the girls finally pitied on the men and gave Josh the permission to move, Chris' hand had shot out before he even registered he had moved. Fingers curled around Josh's wrist tugging the brunette over to his own lap with surprising strength, jealousy clear as day in the blue eyes as his arms slid around Josh's waist and he held the other man close to him.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence in the room.

Then Beth whistled.

"I never really thought Chris would be the jealous type." She commented and immediately Chris' face flamed red, the embarrassment about his behavior washing over him, leaving him absolutely mortified as the younger man hid his face against Josh's back. Words failed him, apologies and jokes refusing to leave his lips so instead he opted in praying for the ground to open and swallow him whole.

It took Josh a good couple of seconds to realize what was going on even after Beth openly voiced the words, his green eyes blinking as the surprise of the rather abrupt bit of manhandling waned away to be replaced with an amused smile. Chris had never struck him as the type to be particularly possessive. In fact he had almost thought the younger man too oblivious for such emotions to even have a reason to come about in the first place. 

How delightfully wrong he had been.

Ignoring Mike, who had quickly excused himself from the rest of the game and made a quick retreat upstairs in order to salvage what dignity he still had, Josh instead chose to gently wiggle himself into a position where he could actually relax. "Well, beer covered shirt withstanding I'd have to say this is far more comfortable." 

Even though Josh may have been relocated, it was quickly evident to him that the game had come to its end. Mike would not be returning and Emily had already excused herself to go look after her boyfriend. Hannah had shut her phone, meaning that she was not expecting anymore awkward moments. Combined with the fact that Ashley was on the verge of passing out against Matt or Chris' shoulder depending on which way her drunken body swayed at that point in time and it was more then obvious that their party was done. 

Jess beat him to the punch of declaring the night over, clapping her hands and standing up on a pair of wobbly legs. "Well! I think that's enough for tonight! Since Chris and Josh are the guests of honor they are off cleanup duty, so I think you two should head up to bed before Chris decides to unleash his secret inner demon and ravish Josh on the floor."

"I wouldn't--" Chris' protests echoed to deaf ears as their friends picked themselves up from the floor; some a tad drunker than the others. The sisters seemed to merely cast the two of them amused looks that had the blond's face positively burning, and once again he wished for some catastrophe to slay him down.

With a soft sigh the blond released his hold of Josh, allowing the other the opportunity to get up so they could retire in their room.

Well, Josh's room, but Chris had thought about it as 'their' room for several years now.

"Let's go, before they change their mind about the whole cleanup duty thing."


	15. Chapter 15

Stumbling to his feet when Chris finally found the strength to release him, Josh couldn't help but watch the younger man with a glimmer of amusement and slight pity. This truly had not been their afternoon. Or was it night? Glancing towards the windows Josh quickly realized that it had been much more then just forty five minutes since their party had began. How could he have lost track of time like that?

Oh right. Beer. That's how.

Taking Chris by the hand, the older of the two boys flashed a slightly drunken smile at his boyfriend before tugging them both up the stairs towards the bedroom that they had somehow come to share every time that Chris joined them at the lodge. Why his parents had even bothered giving the blond his own room in the first place had been a shock, especially since they actually took the time to make it legitimately just Chris' and not just a regular guest room. The blond, as well as Sam, were practically part of the family. It only made sense that they got their own rooms too. 

Whether they chose to use them or not was their decision. 

Closing the door behind him as they finally reached the bedroom, Josh immediately turned to press his lips against those of his lover, hands running tenderly over the blonde's face. "Okay. Before you lecture me about the whole Mike thing... I'm just going to tell you right upfront. That thing you do with the pen? MORE then enough punishment." Letting out a slightly drunken laugh, the brunette smiled warmly against Chris' lips. "You have no idea how wild that mouth of yours gets me."

Giving his boyfriend a look of pure confusion, Chris' hands reached out to slide around Josh's waist as the other leaned close to him. "You mean the nibbling thing? Bro, that's something I've always done, it's not intentional." Chris pointed out, fingers rubbing small circles against Josh's hip as he tried to find out why something like that would turn Josh on.

It was Josh's turn to look confused now, his slightly intoxicated brain making it difficult to understand why his boyfriend couldn't understand what he believed to be a very obvious confession. "Yes. The nibbling thing. And I KNOW it isn't intentional and that you've done it forever! I've watched you do it a million times! Why do you think I sometimes cut our study session together abruptly short for no apparent reason?" Letting out a slightly embarrassed laugh, Josh couldn't help but shake his head.

"Just... just pretend you were in my shoes right? Pretend I'm sitting across from you and I slowly bring a pen to mouth. Imagine watching it disappear slowly in and out of my lips as I think, my tongue occasionally peeking out as I gently nibble on the edge. What kind of... alternative images can you come up with if you replace the pen with something else?"

Heat had probably never flushed over Chris as fast as right now. Josh's words felt like molten lava, like a physical touch that left him trembling slightly, lips parting under the gentle touch of Josh's thumb. His next exhale was shaky, the blond's face red from something else than alcohol and he met Josh's eyes briefly before he gave into the urge and wrapped his lips around Josh's finger.

Everything about what was happening right now was completely and utterly obscene. Josh couldn't tear his eyes away from the point where his finger disappeared into the younger man's mouth and the soft moan that escaped his lips as Chris pulled his finger in deeper was a clear indication that it wasn't just Chris who was enjoying himself. 

Josh had no idea what to do with his finger. He had no idea what on earth Chris wanted him to do at that moment other then stand there gaping like an idiot, face flushed and eyes wide. Chris made some move that Josh briefly realized probably meant something, but his brain simply could not process it. 

Desperate to do SOMETHING, Josh gently moved his free hand to Chris' waist, leading them backwards to his bed as he continued to watch with rapt attention as his boyfriend gave fellatio to his finger. When his legs hit the bed he shifted slightly, somehow managing to drag them both down without accidentally poking Chris in the roof of the mouth. Only then did he find his voice to speak.

"Fuck Chris... I have no idea what you are thinking but I am one hundred percent on board with it."

Pinned to the bed by the younger man's weight, Josh had just enough time to prop himself against the pillows and headboard before Chris straddled his lap. The knowledge that he hadn't locked the door nagged at the back of his mind like an old wife, reminding him that any minute now his sisters or one of their friends might pop in to say goodnight, only to get a rather interesting eyeful. It sent an adventurous, kinky thrill down Josh's spine and straight to his crotch, pulling another groan from his lips.

Deft fingers undid the button and zipper of his boyfriends pants, sneaking their way inside to expertly wrap around the semi that the younger was now sporting, matching the sucking gestures with his own firm strokes. Chris' hips jerked, another moan choked around the fingers in his mouth as the blond swallowed around them greedily.

Slowly he pulled away from Josh's fingers, red lips parted and slick with spit as he fought to catch his breath. Blue eyes were already darkened with want as he fixed them on the brunette below him, lips curling in a teasing smile.

"I could use these lips you so love on something else too." The blond murmured, his smile taking a shyer edge as he straightened up. "I can't promise it'll be good though, I've never done it before."

"Yes. Please. Yes." Running the same fingers that Chris had been sucking on earlier through the younger man's hair, Josh pulled Chris down into a fierce kiss to prove just how eager he was to play guinea pig for Chris' oral fixation. "Do you have any idea how many fantasies I've had about you saying those exact words?" Josh mumbled softly against Chris lips.

The words drew a surprised laugh from the younger man, blue eyes sparkling with both excitement and curiosity as he pressed one last lingering kiss on Josh's parted lips before sliding off of him. "Then I suppose it's only fair I deliver." He replied biting the inside of his cheek nervously before his fingers reached out, unbuttoning Josh's jeans with small difficulty.

Spreading his legs out so that his boyfriend could easily settle in between them, Josh's head tilted slightly to the left as he watched Chris pull him out of his pants, a small whimper pulling from his throat merely at the sensation of a hand other then his own on the sensitive skin. Some part of Josh knew that he would need to keep himself quiet. His sisters both had rooms nearby and while their friends guest rooms were a bit away there was still a chance of somebody walking by to speak to Hannah or Beth. 

Taking hold of the fabric of his shirt, Josh slid it up and off his body on mere instinct as the younger man pushed it up and pressed a kiss to his taut stomach. On instinct he shuddered softly as the cool air hit his skin, the warmth of Chris' own body quickly serving as a replacement for the garment. It wasn't like he needed to remove it, but it would only be in the way and he didn't see any reason to keep it one when they were probably going to bed after their fun. Tossing it to the ground, Josh returned his full attention to the bombshell blond that was in between his legs.

He could see how nervous Chris was. The tone of his voice and the way his blue eyes shifted told Josh pretty much everything. The gentle petting moved into a soft massage of the younger man's neck, encouraging him to relax. There would be time for lust driven passions later, when Chris was more experienced with sex as a whole. Right now, this was something new and possibly even scary, so Josh would try to keep his own eagerness in check. 

"You want me to talk you through it? Might be kind of hot." He offered, licking his lips as he watched Chris' face, judging the level of nervousness expressed through those blue eyes.

Looking up surprised at the offer, Chris smiled thankfully as he nodded his head. His shoulders relaxed, fingers brushing against Josh's waist before dipping lower, resting between his lover's legs. "At least at first? Teach me what you like." The blond requested, licking his lips briefly before lowering himself down on the brunette.

The first press of lips were pressed down on the head of Josh's cock through the cotton of his boxers, Chris shaping what lie underneath, mouthing the fabric carefully. His cheeks were positively flaming and he closed his eyes to hide his embarrassment. 

His hot breath had soon dampened the fabric slightly, and the taste of the bitter pre-cum already burst on his tongue, spurring the blond on as he dragged his tongue all the way back up to the head.

"Fuck!" Josh's breath caught in his throat as Chris' tongue trailed from base to tip, head falling back as a pleasure noise escaped his lip, mixed with a growing irritation. "Chris, come on man. Are you trying to torture me here?" Whimpering softly, the brunette squirmed just a bit, desperate for more but not wanting to come across as too eager.

"Nah, I'm merely learning." Chris replied cheekily as he pulled back a bit to give the brunette a teasing smile. The sight of Josh unraveling so quickly underneath him was a huge boost for Chris' confidence, and it helped him keep his hands steady as he pulled Josh's boxers down enough to free his cock.

The sight of it had Chris' cheeks coloring, especially since his face was so close to it that he could clearly see the thick vein on the underside of it, and the tip clear with pre-cum as the foreskin had pulled back a bit with arousal. The sight of it sent a wave of want through the blond, his own cock pulsing between his legs.

Lips lowered back on the heated skin, mapping Josh's cock with no fabric to dull the sensation anymore. His movements were slow, tongue flickering out briefly around the head of his cock to gather the precome smeared there.

"You're a natural. Fucking hell Chris..." Hand slipping away to grab hold of the sheets, Josh had to put in physical effort not to close his eyes and submit to the sensation of that warm tongue running over the head of his cock. "Shit... don't... don't center on the head too much. It's sensitive because of the foreskin. Try... try running your tongue along the vein. Base to tip and down again. Slowly. Or just... like kissing up and down the side with a soft bit of suction..." 

Swallowing thickly, Josh's chest rose and fell in shuddering breaths as he explained two of the many tricks he had found himself fantasizing about the blond doing. If he wasn't scared that Chris might have gotten a little over zealous he might even have suggested just a small hint of nibbling but not yet. Not until he knew the blond wouldn't go too hard.

Following the directions given, Chris tilted his head a bit before pressing his lips upon the vein, trailing sucking kisses up slowly. He could feel the cock twitch against his lips, drawing a soft sound from the blond as he once again gathered the pearl of pre-cum from the tip before descending back down with the same kisses.

"Like that?" He asked pulling back to catch his breath, fingers twitching slightly as he licked his lips, waiting for Josh to guide him through it.

Biting a bit too harshly into his bottom lip to keep his attention away from his cock for just a second, Josh turned his gaze back down to Chris, only to immediately regret it when the sight of the younger man licking the pre-cum from his lips hit his vision. "Yeah... lick... like that. Fuck..." Pressing his palm to his face, Josh let out a small laugh at his little blunder, chalking it off to the pleasure induced fuzziness of his brain. 

His cock throbbed eagerly, still drizzling slow droplets of pre-cum as Josh took a second to collect his brain, his green eyes watching Chris' flushed features and knowing his own were probably equally as red. "You... up for actually trying to put it in your mouth? Or do you just wanna continue what you've been doing? Because either way it's great. You're great." Mumbling his words out, Josh mentally hit himself for once again coming across as a complete idiot. Then again, blowjobs had always been a rather quick way to turn his brain to mush and having to actually verbally guide someone through the process just made it twice as hot so he really couldn't blame himself too much.

The brunette's head flew back as he let out a heady moan into the night air at the sudden sensation of Chris' mouth wrapping around the head of his cock. The younger man was pure evil. How could he have ever believed that this incubus was some sweet, naïve young thing when the blond pulled moves like that on him? 

While the kisses along the side of his cock had been nice, the sensation of actually being inside the younger man's mouth was absolute heaven. The careful suction and the fact that Chris lingered with just the head in his mouth was maddening, driving small whimpers from Josh's lips as his fingers buried in the sheets and his boyfriends shoulders. Every so often his leg would twitch, thighs shuddering in the effort not to press further into the warmth of his lover's mouth.

"H-hand... use your... your hand... where you mouth can't reach." Panting softly, Josh tried his best to make a coherent and intelligible sentence despite the fact his mind was pretty much mush. Another whimper escaped his lips as his green eyes opened to catch sight of Chris between his legs, mouth wrapped around the head of his cock, and Josh fell back and shut his eyes again almost immediately.

Breath hitching as more of his cock was taken in, Josh let out a long, soft moan of Chris' name as pleasure shot through his body. It was maddening, just sitting there with the younger man's mouth around his penis, not doing anything but just feeling him on that pretty pink tongue. The hand offered little relief, as his lover was too distracted in his exploration to remember that Josh wanted him to actually use it and not just hold onto his erection to keep is steady.

The grip on the sheets grew tighter when a moan spilled out over his cock, the vibrations sending sparks through out Josh's body and left him shuddering, green eyes wide and glassy as he arched up with a gasp. He hit the bed again with a soft thud, his fingers working the soft hairs at the base of Chris' neck encouragingly as the younger man began to bob his head.

"You're... good. So good. Incredible." Babbling nonsense words of encouragement, Josh's tongue darted out over his own lips as he let out another breathless moan as the head of his cock brushed against the roof of his boyfriends mouth. "Stroke with your hand... and the noises... when you make noise it feels... it vibrates. But just... just do what you want... anything you want." Laughing softly, Josh's mind gave up trying to say anything else and instead simply gave in the pleasurable numbness that came with the situation.

Inside Chris's mouth, Josh throbbed, dribbling salty pre-cum onto the tongue that was lavishing it with such ardent attention. The older man's thighs were tense and his hips would occasionally lose the fight not to make small thrusts upwards. Still, the fact that Josh hadn't completely given up the fight proved he wanted to make good on his earlier promise.

The blond swallowed the mix of saliva and pre-cum again, the taste causing him to groan as he carefully slid himself lower on Josh's cock. The ache of his jaw was more prominent now, a constant reminder of his inexperience as he worked on Josh's cock, mindful of keeping his teeth as far away from it as he could. 

But god, did it feel good. The more he experimented, the more he tasted and learned, the needier he became. His sucks gained a bit more strength in them, the bobs of his head were a tad faster, taking Josh the tiniest bit deeper each time. 

Eventually he had to pull off as he managed to trigger his gag reflex, coughing couple of times before he looked at Josh with a sheepish smile. "Too deep." The blond rasped out, lips red and swollen, glistening with saliva as he caught his breath.

Releasing the sheets, Josh caught hold of the younger man's shirt and gently pulled him up so that he could catch his lips in a gentle kiss, tongue running over that glorious mouth and tasting himself on Chris tongue with a small moan. Without even realizing, his own hand had moved back to his boyfriend's pants, stroking the now erect flesh that had gone unattended throughout the duration of Chris' exploration of Josh's body. 

Chris muffled a cry of pleasure against Josh's shoulder, his hips jerking down against his lover's hand. So far he had done great job in ignoring his own need, but now that he was being touched, the lust surged forward with a force enough to knock the breath out of the blond.

His fingers dug on Josh's hips, swollen lips parted in pleasure as he pressed a shaky kiss on the brunette's neck. "T-This was supposed to-- I was supposed to--" He gasped, unable to stop his hips from grinding against Josh's hand.

"W-Was supposed to care for you, make you feel good."

"Yeah, but from experience I know for a fact that your jaw is probably aching a bit right now. So I figured you would take a break, let me play with YOU a little bit, and then get back to business." Raising an eyebrow at the younger man who was busy pressing kisses to his hickey dotted neck, the tanned youth gently pulled his hand away from the cock he had been stroking. "Unless you would rather I not?"

The lack of stimulation left Chris reeling and gasping, his fingers gripping a tighter hold of Josh's hips as he fought to keep his control. His toes had curled on on the sheets, body trembling and mind screaming for more friction, more pleasure. "I hate you." The blond choked out breathlessly, the black of his irises taking over most of the blue in his eyes.

Pulling the glasses from his face before he'd manage to break them, Chris placed them on the small shelf beside the bed before returning to his place above the brunette. 

"You're breaking my heart here, Chris. What happened to showing me the lov-HOLY SHIT!" The words were cut off as Chris suddenly slid back down his body and once more took Josh's cock into his mouth.

More laughter escaped him, but this time it was breathless and mixed in with moans as Chris set about his task. "Warn a guy next time... holy shit." Slumping back onto the bed, the older man brought his arm over his eyes as he felt heat rise to his cheeks. The yelp he had just made certainly would have carried over to his sister's rooms. Wonderful. That would be fun to explain come morning.

The fire that had built in his stomach was lit once more as Chris' tongue ran over the sensitive head of his cock, dribbles of pre-cum returning alongside the soft noises of pleasure that slid easily from the older man's lips. 

The build was quicker then earlier, the coil of pleasure already wound tight despite the short break and soon Josh was back to a squirming mess under Chris' tongue. Each time Chris did something particular special another small whimper spilled from Josh's lips. The arm tossed over his eyes slid down so that he could grasp onto the younger man's shoulder, fingers digging into the fabric as his other hand returned to the sheets.

As the noises Josh let out grew in urgency and volume, and he could feel the cock twitching more frequently in his mouth, Chris once again pulled away panting for air. Yet he could not stop his swollen lips from curling in a pleased smile, thumbs rubbing slow circles against Josh's waist. "Not so fun when you get denied, is it?"

Opening his eyes to stare dumbly down at the blond who was now smirking deviously at him from where he hovered over Josh's cock, the brunette could only blink in his confusion before realization hit. "S-seriously?" Letting out a small noise of frustration, Josh shook his head at the younger man's dick move.

He supposed he deserved it after that little stunt earlier. What goes around does come around. That didn't change how absolutely frustrating the fact that Chris had known he was about cum and then denied him was. "You're such an assbutt." 

"Supernatural references, really?" Chris asked amusement coloring his tone as he gazed at his lover like he hadn't just denied him his orgasm. To be honest, he felt kind of smug about it, for he had not seen Josh in this kind of state before. Naturally it only served to wake up the blond's curiosity more, and his lips wrapped back around Josh's cock before the brunette could so much as blink. 

His tongue rubbed and swirled around the head, lips massaging the heated flesh in the way he had quickly been to learn got Josh to gasp underneath him. Fingers massaged Josh's waist, another soft moan escaping the back of his throat as he worked on bringing his lover back to the edge. This time it was even messier than before, pre-cum mixing with saliva that Chris did his best to swallow, mind going hazy with pleasure as the scent of sex that surrounded him. 

Yet when he felt the tell-tale twitches in his mouth, coupled with the way Josh's body had once again started to tremble more violently, he pulled back with a wet noise. Swollen lips were parted in gasps of air, the blond's own hands trembling as he kept himself up yet still managed to shoot Josh a positively sinful smirk. "Oh, I do hope you were not going to cum just now."

A sharp, desperate cry spilled from the older man's lips as for the second time Chris denied him his climax. Laughing weakly in disbelief, the brunette's dark eyes open to look down at his lover. While his lips may have been turned into a weak smile the look in his eyes spoke of anything but amusement. "You... you're kidding right?" When all he received was a smirk, the brunette fell back with a groan.

Cheeks flushed Chris lowered himself back on Josh's cocks, lips mouthing up the underside vein slowly. The other would most likely be rather sensitive right now, and he did not want to cause possible pain for Josh during his act. His sucks remained gentler, fingers massaging the base of his cock in slow circles. The amount of pre-cum in his mouth had him swallowing every other suck, jaw aching unpleasantly, going numb at places yet Chris kept pushing on, using every dirty trick he had learned to bring Josh right back on that edge-- 

Only to pull back once again. 

It was hard to focus on the brunette underneath him, his mind hazy and swimming, completely under the other's spell as he rubbed soft circles on Josh's back. "Doing alright?" He rasped out licking his lips before pressing a kiss on the head of Josh's cock.

"Please... Chris please... I can't... I need..." Desperation had driven Josh to begging, what little dignity he managed to keep being tossed right out the window as he squirmed under the younger man. "Please... I'll do anything... Chris... I need to cum so bad.... please." With each pause his hips rose into the air once more, thighs quivering and cock dribbling so much pre-cum that the blond simply could not lick it away fast enough.

It was an image Chris wanted to burn into his memory, one he never wanted to forget for he could not be sure how often he'd get to see Josh in this state. How often he'd manage to get Josh begging, having the upper hand on the older man. Gentle fingers brushed the tears away from the corners of Josh's eyes, lips pressing a soft kiss on the parted lips before Chris once again wrapped them around the now angry purple cock. 

This time he had no intention to pull away, he had tortured Josh enough and he really didn't want to harm his new lover. Tongue pressed down gently, massaging the area around the list before he resumed the sucking slowly, fingers massaging the base of his cock a bit faster. 

A new kind of determination filled Chris, one that wanted to see his lover lose it completely, to call his name for everyone to hear so that everyone-- especially Mike-- knew who Josh belonged to. 

Only he could make Josh feel this good, only he was allowed to see Josh like this. 

The blond moaned around Josh's cock, swallowing more urgently now to keep himself from chocking, eyes squeezed shut as he gave everything he could to Josh. And this time when he felt those twitches, when he had to forcefully keep Josh's hips down to keep them from bucking up, he did not pull away.

Josh's orgasm hit him like a truck filled with bricks, wrenching a scream of Chris' name that wouldn't just be heard by everyone in the Lodge but everyone who was on the mountain. Blinding white spots flashed across his vision and every single nerve of his body alighted in a blast of pleasure. His hips strained under the hands holding them back as his body arched in a magnificent bow, toes curling and fingers so tight in their grip that he would no doubt leave little crescent shaped marks in Chris' shoulders. 

Too unaware of himself or his surroundings to realize he had just shot everything into his boyfriends mouth without so much as a warning, Josh slumped back onto the bed as his body continued to twitch, chest rising and falling heavily as he took in deep gulps of air. It would take a forklift to get him to move, his body feeling like it weighed several thousand tons that were welded to the bed and then super-glued just for good measure. The exhaustion was nearly enough to make him pass out and he actually found himself flickering in and out of consciousness as he slowly drifted back to earth.

A small hum escaped from the older man's lips as Chris gently ran his fingers over his skin. Unlike the intimate touches from a few moments ago these were gentle and loving, leaving a soft tingling and pleasant warmth that had Josh smiling as his green eyes fluttered open to look at Chris face. Chris' smile was sheepish and adoring, lips parted in attempt to catch his breath as his arm slid around Josh's waist. The tongue in his mouth felt fuzzy and his throat was sore from all the sounds he had made, so instead of saying anything he merely allowed Chris to pull him in close.

The knowledge that Chris was still hard nagged at the back of his mind, but in his current state he couldn't even offer the blond a simple hand job to return the favor, so instead he decided he would do something 'nice' for him tomorrow. With that thought in his head and a smile on his lips, Josh allowed himself to follow his lover's whispered advice and easily slipped into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
